Missing
by FLUFF-N-UTTER-1
Summary: Anomalies are occurring more and more frequently and Connor is missing... (5.1-5.6 AU) A/N Part of the Claudia story verse, story picks up right after Trimming The Tree
1. In the Dark

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

A/N Part of the Claudia story verse, story picks up right after Trimming The Tree (AU)

_5.1 AU Missing_

"…_the end of time__…"_

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

When Duncan's call made Abby realize that Connor hadn't arrived at the ARC, she, Jack, Matt and Emily headed over, leaving Connor's mother with Patrick and Charlotte.

"I want to go too!" protested Patrick.

"We won't all fit in the car," explained Emily gently.

"Besides," soothed Matt "if he's just had a flat or something… and is walking home… we'll need you here to let us know he's back."

Connor's mother looked at Abby with worried eyes. Both women knew that if it had been something simple like a flat tire, Connor would have called on his cell phone. Abby quickly followed Matt, Emily and Jack out the door before Patrick could protest anymore.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

During the short ride to the ARC, Abby's eyes kept searching the streets for some sign of the mini. If there had been an accident, surely the police would have called already… but if Connor had merely broken down… and tried to fix the car himself… and cell phone reception was really awful… her mind raced as she tried to think where Connor might be.

"The mini is in the car park," announced Matt as he turned the vehicle around the corner to see the ARC and the car park across the street.

Although the ARCs budget woe's continued, and administrative functions had been cut repeatedly, the increasing frequency of anomalies had resulted in more field teams being hired_. _The members of four fully staffed anomaly teams didn't all use public transportation. Limited parking space at the ARC, frequently resulted in staff using the public parking lot across the street from the building.

"Becker's there," added Emily. "Duncan must have called him too."

Becker was standing beneath the street light, staring at the mini with a frown. Some of his armed security men were standing throughout the car park. As Matt slowed the vehicle to a near stop before turning into the car park, Abby unbuckled her seat belt, opened the door to the small sedan and jumped out.

"Abby," shouted Matt.

Abby ran towards Becker and the mini… dreading what she might see. Had Connor slipped on ice and hit his head? Becker grabbed her by the shoulders, not allowing her to pass him.

"No," ordered the tall captain. "You can't go any closer."

"But Connor," Abby protested trying to squirm past Becker "What's wrong? I've got to help him."

"Abby, he's not there," replied Becker as he held her firmly. "The police are on their way… I can't let you disturb the scene… can't let you interfere with evidence."

"What?" cried Abby.

Twisting sideways to look beyond Becker, Abby saw the mini… and the pavement between the mini and the next car over. The travel mug was toppled over sideways lying in a puddle of coffee. Connor's messenger bag and the key chain were lying haphazardly between the two vehicles. The messenger bag was open, and Abby could tell the laptop was missing. The dark haired scientist was nowhere to be seen.

"Abby," said Jack. He'd come up behind her and heard what Becker had said. Jack now tugged on her arm. "We should go inside and wait… let the police do their jobs."

"Good idea," agreed Becker. "Wait in the break room… I'll be there shortly."

Becker watched as the young man led his sister into the ARC. Matt and Emily approached.

"What happened Becker?" asked Matt.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

In the ARC, Jess was working with Duncan on the anomaly detection device. Jess had arrived with Becker, but she'd gone directly inside to help Duncan with the ADD. The machine had tripped offline, and Duncan couldn't get it powered back up. That problem was why he'd called Connor to begin with.

"I don't understand," muttered Jess as she typed search commands on the keyboard. "It should be working."

"Has anything like this ever happened before?" asked Duncan.

Jess's eyes opened wide. She turned to look at the pudgy facilities coordinator.

"We had a dodgy night coordinator before you came to work here," replied Jess "he tampered with the ADD… suppressed the alarm once, but that's not exactly the same problem…"

"Do you know what he did?" asked Duncan.

Jess was already down beneath the desktop, scrambling, trying to pull the casing off the central processing unit. Duncan quickly moved to join her.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Jack shepherded Abby into the ARC.

"Which way is the break room?" he asked.

"The break room," repeated Abby. She pointed.

"Good," said Jack as he pushed open the door. He spied the coffee pot on the counter. "Abby, why don't you sit down… I'll make you some coffee."

The petite blonde settled into a nearby chair. Abby narrowed her eyes as she watched her brother putter about the counter. He found the filter and coffee grounds, then added water and pressed the on button.

"Why are you being so nice?" asked Abby. "Why are you doing… all this… for me?"

Jack looked up at her words. Behind him, the coffee pot started making little bubbling sounds.

"Can't a bloke look after his sister?" Jack asked in a teasing tone.

Abby stared at her brother. After they had returned from the race track anomaly, Abby had gone with the team back to the ARC. When she finally returned to the flat that night, Jack was gone. Since she and Connor had returned from their journeys through the cretaceous and the dark ages, Abby had tried to call him, with no luck. Now, Jack hadn't been back an entire twenty-four hours yet and already her life was turned upside down again.

"Maybe some blokes," she agreed, "but not you."

"Abby," exclaimed Jack "that's harsh!"

Abby stared at Jack without blinking. For a moment, he held her gaze. Then the coffee pot hissed as the brewing completed. Jack turned to reach for a mug and began to pour coffee. He didn't say anything until he set the mug on the table in front of Abby. Then he sat down opposite her and began to talk.

"Back at the race track, when I asked what happened…," Jack began "I was really hoping you were going to tell me I imagined it all… or something."

Abby took a sip of the coffee.

"I went back to the flat, grabbed my stuff and ran," he admitted. "I was scared."

Abby nodded.

"I got as far as Manchester," Jack continued "before I started thinking… about what I'd seen… and where I'd been… and I began to wonder how may other people might have fallen through a hole like that."

Abby took another sip of her coffee.

"That's when I decided to go looking for Dad."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

In a darkened, subterranean room, Connor blinked his eyes as consciousness returned. He tried to move.

"Owww," groaned Connor.

"Oh good," said a disembodied voice. "You're awake."

The voice sounded as if it came from a far distance. Connor turned his head towards the voice. His vision blurred, muscles spasmed with pain at the movement, and Connor passed out again.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	2. Down

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, nor does the book or film Misery. This is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

A/N Part of the Claudia story verse, story picks up right after Trimming The Tree (AU)

_5.1-2 AU _

"…_fallen through a hole__…"_

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

At Abby and Connor's home, Patrick and Charlotte carried the dessert plates to the kitchen sink and started washing up. Mrs. Temple wrapped the plate with Connor's slice of Christmas pudding and put it in the refrigerator, disturbing Rex in the process. The lizard chirped lethargically and flew off the refrigerator to another resting space.

"Is he alright?" asked Connor's mum.

"It's winter… cold for reptiles," replied Patrick, "that's why Rex likes the top of the fridge."

"Oh," nodded the older woman. "That's why the snake's habitat has been moved away from the windows."

"Yeah," answered Patrick "and the iguana tank is over the radiator in the bathroom."

Connor's mum picked up the container of lizard treats. The pellets rattled around as she shook the canister. Rex picked up his head and chirped inquisitively. The woman walked over to his dish and began to fill the tray.

"Patrick," asked Charlotte, "where are Sid and Nancy?"

"Shh," hissed Patrick.

He glanced across the room at Connor's mum. She didn't seem to have heard the teen aged Victorian, and appeared to be lost in thought as she stroked Rex. Patrick lowered his voice as he turned back to face Charlotte and answer her question.

"They're hibernating," replied Patrick. "They're in the tunnel, it goes from the cellar… to the back yard… but don't let Gran hear… she thinks they're overgrown rats."

"Rats?" responded Charlotte in a surprised tone. "Sid and Nancy are cute… nothing like rats."

Patrick nodded in agreement.

"Abby says they might have little ones this Spring," he added.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Becker's eyes swept the perimeter of the car park once more before he turned his gaze back to Matt and Emily.

"I haven't seen the CCTV pictures yet, but Connor may have been mugged," replied Becker.

"Then where is he?" asked Matt.

The police cruiser pulled into the car park as he spoke.

"Why don't you two go inside?" suggested Becker. "Lester's on his way in… I'll be in after I've talked with the detectives."

Matt and Emily exchanged a glance.

"No," replied Matt "if you don't mind, we'll just wait with you. I want to watch what they do."

The men from the police cruiser were excruciatingly thorough. First, they ordered everyone to back up and away from the parked mini, before they began to work. Then they marked all around the mini and the next car over with yellow tape. The black lettering read CRIME SCENE DO NOT ENTER. After that, they walked around both parked cars, looking very closely at the ground. Then they added a second row of yellow tape. Finally they stood still.

"What are they waiting for?" asked Emily. "Why aren't they investigating?"

One of the men must have heard her. He frowned.

"We're waiting for the lab unit," replied the man. "We're here just to make sure nobody disturbs anything… until they arrive."

"And when will that be?" asked Becker.

"Don't know," replied the man "it is Christmas… might take a while to get someone here."

Lester's car pulled into the car park just then.

"You can't park here," shouted the man "can't you read?"

Lester backed out of the public parking lot and into the drive leading to the ARCs car park. He turned off the ignition and left the car in the middle of the drive as he crossed the street to join Becker, Matt and Emily.

"What's going on?" asked Lester in a calm tone of voice.

Their boss sounded disinterested as if he was discussing nothing more important that traffic and road conditions. But Becker, Matt and Emily knew the traffic and road conditions this evening between his home and London. While Matt answered Lester's question, Becker wondered briefly what the top speed of the jaguar was.

"We're waiting," replied Matt, "for the investigators to get here and to find out what happened."

Becker turned his gaze towards the parked cruiser. The two men were leaning against the vehicle, and had opened a thermos. His eyebrows lowered menacingly as he frowned in their direction.

"We should go inside," suggested Lester "and let these people do their job."

"What?" asked three different voices in surprise.

"We've got the best surveillance team in the UK," Lester reminded them.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

In the main control room of the ARC, Jess was shivering. She sat next to the ADD display console, up high on the workstation itself. Below her Duncan was pushing the central processing unit back into position against the back wall of the workstation. A dustpan and small hand broom were on the floor beside him. Lester, Becker, Matt and Emily entered the room.

"Jess," asked Becker "what's wrong? Are you all right?"

The petite woman shook her head. At first left and right, then seeing his eyes grow wide with alarm, she shook her head up and down. Becker moved to stand closer to her.

"I'm fine," Jess replied "I just don't like..."

"What?" asked Becker.

Duncan rose to stand between Jess and Becker. He held up the dustpan and its contents proudly.

"Found out what was wrong with the machine," he said happily. "Someone's been eating at the workstation… dropping all sorts of crumbs, bits of sandwiches, crisps, biscuits…"

"A multi-million dollar machine disabled by crumbs?" questioned Lester.

"No," replied Duncan. "It was the mice… they ate through the wiring… trying to get to the crumbs."

Lester closed his eyes. He'd thought that sort of problem was solved when Abby and Connor had taken the diictodons home. Beside Becker, Jess shivered again.

"I really don't like mice," she said, "but at least it wasn't bugs."

Lester stepped towards Jess and the ADD. He looked briefly at his manicured nails to give Jess a moment. She straightened up and regarded the ARCs director.

"Jess," asked Lester "would you be able to pull up the CCTV pictures from the car park for earlier this evening?"

"Of course," replied Jess as she hopped down off the workstation.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby had been so caught up in her shock and worry about Connor being missing that she'd barely known what to think, but Jack's words in the break room shook her out of her stupor.

"Seriously," Abby replied, "you went looking for Dad?"

"Yeah," responded Jack as he leaned back in the chair, tilting it back on the rear legs. "I thought maybe…"

Abby closed her eyes as her brother rambled on about their parents and their childhood. When she was alive, their mother had joked that she and her ex-husband put the fun in dysfunctional relationships. Abby and Jack's parents had married and divorced, squabbling ferociously all the while. Abby never understood what was supposed to be fun about that. Her parents fought worst when they were drinking.

"Jack," said Abby, "it's not what you think…"

But Jack wasn't listening. Abby remembered her mother's last days. Alcoholic liver disease had claimed Abby's mother.

"_Never wanted to be forty anyway," joked the woman, "I was planning on staying thirty-nine forever."_

_The woman looked down at her grotesquely swollen belly, distended by her final illness. _

"_Of course I never wanted to be fat either." _

"Jack," repeated Abby in a louder tone of voice "Dad didn't fall through an anomaly."

Her brother stopped talking and stared across the table at her. His lips curled back in a smirk. Jack always knew how to rile Abby.

"Of course not," replied Jack. "Dad's been in and out of rehab ever since Mum died."

Abby stared at her brother in surprise.

"You knew?"

Behind Abby, the door to the break room opened. Lester, followed by Becker, Jess, Matt, Emily and Duncan entered the room.

"Abby," said Lester gently "Matt's going to take you home now…"

"Where's Connor?" asked Abby in a tone that indicated an answer better be forthcoming soon.

"There's been an accident," explained Lester "the CCTV images show someone picked him up… as soon as we find out which hospital they've taken him to… "

"What happened? I want to see the CCTV," demanded Abby.

"Really Abby," said Lester "there's no need..."

Abby's blue eyes blazed fiercely and her jaw tightened for a moment. Then she spoke.

"I want to see the CCTV images," demanded Abby again.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Becker leaned against the back wall of the ARCs control room. At the desk, Jess brought up the CCTV images again. It was hard to watch. Becker turned to regard Jack, standing beside him. The captain would never have expected to find Abby sitting quietly in the break room this evening.

"You did a good job," whispered Becker, "keeping Abby distracted."

The young man was concentrating on the images, or maybe watching his sister standing just in front of him, and didn't seem to hear the tall soldier.

"I can't tell if that's a man or a woman," said Abby.

In the image, Connor was kneeling, patting the ground in front of him as a tall thin figure approached him. Abby gasped. The person kicked Connor, knocking him to one side. Then the person knelt, opened Connor's messenger bag and withdrew the laptop. The person was walking quickly out of the CCTV view, when Connor rose and started after the person.

"And now we switch views to the street cam," explained Jess as the images flickered, blurred and then reformed.

The thief was striding quickly across the street. Connor chased after. He never saw the car. Abby gasped again, placing a hand across her mouth as she watched Connor bounce on the hood of the car and then fall motionless to the pavement. Jack stepped closer to his sister. The driver stopped and got out of the car. The driver and the thief appeared to exchange words. Then the two people hauled Connor into the back seat of the sedan and drove off.

"Abby, you need to go home and rest," said Lester in a soothing tone. "As soon as we find out which hospital they've taken Connor to…"

"Rest," objected Abby. "No! How on earth…?"

"Abby," said Becker with a glance at Matt. "You can't do anything now. It's going to take some time to search the hospitals. I personally will bring you straight to Connor… as soon as he is located."

Matt and Emily converged on Abby, gently leading her towards the door.

"Connor's Mum must be so worried," said Emily, "and Patrick..."

"You really think they've taken Connor to a hospital..."

Abby's voice trailed off as they left the control room. Jack looked from Becker to Lester.

"The thief wasn't a professional," Jack observed. "Taking the laptop out of the bag… was a mistake. A professional would have snatched the entire messenger bag… then the getaway driver would have had them both long gone before Connor got out of the car park."

"You think this was planned?" asked Becker. "And why do you think the thief was a man?"

Jack snorted.

"Dunno if that person was a man or not... like Abby said, you can't really tell," replied Jack as he headed out of the room after Abby, "and planned? Not really... more likely just... what the coppers call... a crime of opportunity."

"How do you know so..."

The door swung shut, cutting off Becker's question. The Captain turned to see Lester, Jess and a very pale Duncan remaining in the control room.

"Great! Just what we need," huffed Lester "a newbie mugger and a bumbling getaway driver have taken Connor someplace."

Lester turned to Jess.

"Can you trace Connor's cell phone?"

Jess turned back to the computer, but Duncan spoke up.

"I traced it already," said Duncan. "Connor's cell phone is across the street… I think the police have it as evidence."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

The dark haired man's chest shuddered, but it continued to rise and fall. His eyes remained closed, the long lashes fluttered with each ragged breath he took. The small blonde woman pushed her heavy black framed glasses back up on her nose.

"We should take him to the hospital," she said. "We don't know what kind of injuries he's got…"

On the other side of the room, a tall thin woman sat at a desk. Connor's laptop was open in front of her. Her slender fingers played gracefully over the keyboard.

"You said that before," was all the other woman replied. Her tone sounded somewhat irritated.

The small blonde had grown more and more antsy as the night progressed and their captive remained unconscious.

"We're not going to find out anything," replied the blonde "if he's not able to talk."

The tall angular woman frowned at the laptop monitor. The blonde was a bit of a whiner, annoying really, but sometimes she had her uses.

"April," asked the thin woman "what does this message mean?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	3. Dawn

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, nor does the book or film Misery. This is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

A/N Part of the Claudia story verse, story picks up right after Trimming The Tree (AU)

_5.1-3 AU _

"…_evidence__…"_

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

The police wouldn't release the mini.

"Evidence," barked the burly investigator when Abby had asked for the keys. "You never know what little thing might lead us to the culprits."

Matt and Emily drove Abby and Jack home. When they arrived at Abby and Connor's home, the front door opened before the foursome even got to the steps.

"Connor where have you b…" asked Patrick as he pulled the door wide.

His words faded away as he realized Connor wasn't with them. Charlotte and Connor's Mum stood behind him. The older woman gazed at Abby, her bottom lip trembled. Abby hurried to explain.

"There's been an accident," said Abby, "and some sort of mix-up… we don't know which hospital Connor's been taken to…"

"Hospital…," gasped Mrs. Temple.

Jack stepped forward, moving in between Patrick and Charlotte to take the older woman by the arm.

"Calm yourself woman," Jack said with a bit of a smirk "or you'll get your blood pressure up…"

Her questions came shrill and fast.

"What kind of accident?" asked the Connor's mother. "How bad is Connor hurt? Why is it that you don't know where he is?"

"Some good Samaritans picked him up," said Jack. He glanced at Abby over the woman's head. "It can't be too bad… or they would have called an ambulance."

Abby followed Jack and Connor's Mum into the front room. When she came back, Matt and Emily were whispering together by the stairway.

"When I came back, to this world… so unlike what I was prepared for," said Matt in his soft lilting voice, "I thought my mission was over… before it began."

He looked at the lovely woman standing so close to him. He reached a hand up and twisted one finger through a dark curl dangling by her ear.

"With no sign of Burton, a policy of non-interference with the anomalies… and Connor… being the way he is, I thought I could have a life," Matt continued "I wanted to have a life with you…"

"We can have a life together," responded Emily, as she stepped forward to wrap her arms around him tightly. "You should tell Lester, tell him everything."

Abby hated to interrupt them. The newlyweds looked so sweet hugging each other in front of the stairs.

"Ahem," coughed Abby as she stepped nearer the pair. "It's late… you can't go back to the Forest of Dean now."

Matt and Emily stepped quickly apart, looking perhaps a little flustered, or maybe something else.

"Oh no," protested Emily, "we don't want to be a bother."

"Nonsense," replied Abby "you and Matt can have our room."

Abby glanced through the open door from the hallway to the front room. Jack had gotten Connor's Mum settled on the sofa. The older woman insisted that she wouldn't sleep a wink… couldn't go to bed.

"And Charlotte can have the spare room," continued Abby "since Connor's Mum won't be using it."

"What about you?" asked Patrick as he came down the stairs. He held up the inflatable mattress in one hand and a blanket in the other. Charlotte stood behind him, holding sheets and another blanket. "I got this for Jack since Gran's got the sofa, but where are you going to sleep?"

"I don't think I'll be sleeping," replied Abby.

It was after midnight before the home was finally quiet. Abby was in the kitchen, staring out the window over the sink. She couldn't see the back yard, just the dim reflection of her face on the darkened glass. Jack entered the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Light spilled across the floor as Abby turned to look at her brother.

"A good Samaritan," Abby asked bitterly "how could you tell her that?"

"Abby…," whispered Jack, glancing back towards the front room "ssh… lower your voice."

"Connor could be dead for all we know."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

In the ARCs control room, Jess was busily trying to trace the path of the car that had driven away with Connor, but there were a lot of traffic cams… and a lot of dingy gray sedans.

"What are so many people doing out driving around on Christmas night?" asked Jess in exasperation. Her quick fingers typed keystrokes, bringing up one image after another.

"Not everybody celebrates Christmas," reminded Duncan.

He was on another laptop, hands hovering over the keyboard as he slowly typed one keystroke at a time alternating use of his index fingers.

"Besides," he added "it's been Boxing Day for over two hours now… maybe they've got to work… or think there's a really great sale they can't miss…"

"Boxing Day is supposed to be a holiday," harrumphed Lester. "People should be at home… with their families…"

"Not everybody can do that," responded Duncan, "look at us."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Lester and Becker left the ARC. The two men walked across the street to talk to the investigating officers. It was a very short conversation.

"Not very communicative," sighed Lester, "are they?"

Becker hadn't expected any information… not really, and he said as much.

"You're right," agreed Lester "they've got a job to do."

"Shouldn't we call the Cutter's… and Sarah?" asked Becker.

Lester shook his head.

"No," he replied "no sense disturbing them… better to wait until we know… something."

Across the street, the tow truck driver had been busily working while Lester and Becker had tried talking to the police. It wasn't until the man climbed into the cab of his truck, and slammed the door shut as he turned the ignition, that either member of the ARC noticed him.

"Hey!" shouted Lester. "That's my car!"

Lester started to run into the street, but Becker grabbed the director and pulled him back. The driver was oblivious to either man standing on the sidewalk. He pulled the huge vehicle forward and shifted gears. The tow truck clanked and groaned as it pulled the jaguar out of the entryway to the ARCs car park. The truck and its load disappeared down the road. Lester stared after it in disbelief. For a moment… he was without words.

"You can let go of me now."

"Oh, yeah," said Becker, releasing his boss. He flushed with embarrassment. "Sorry… just didn't want anyone else getting run into tonight."

Before anything else could be said, Becker's cell phone vibrated in his pocket.

"It's Jess," Becker said. "Duncan's traced Connor's computer."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Becker and his men had the dilapidated building surrounded. The vacant shop stood all alone in a central parking area. Demolition equipment and the rubble remaining from what had once been a group of shop buildings surrounded the area. The streets and the building before them were still in darkness. Night goggles helped with vision. Ear pieces carried Becker's orders to the team.

"On my signal," said Becker. He took one last look around, then nodded. "Now!"

The security team stormed the building, front and back entrances. A man on each corner kept watch on the perimeter. Becker and three others went down the hallway.

"We're at the stairwell now," Becker reported "which way Jess?"

The voice that answered him wasn't the one he expected to hear.

"Um… uh… according to the signal," said Duncan "the laptop is below you."

"Where's Jess?"

"She's checking the CCTV scan again… said she saw something," answered Duncan "told me I could handle giving you directions."

Becker shook his head. He and his men proceeded down the stairs. Duncan directed them through the maze of vacant store rooms in the basement, until finally they faced a narrow door.

"The laptop should be right in front of you."

Unlike Danny, Becker didn't like breaking down doors. You never really knew what might be on the other side. In his experience it was usually armed terrorists or frightened families. In a hostage situation… so many things could go wrong… best to get it over… quickly now.

The old door gave way easily. This storeroom wasn't vacant. It looked like someone had been living here. The room held two beds, a chair and a desk with a laptop blinking on the smooth surface… and a body sprawled across the concrete. Becker knelt by his friend. The hard concrete was cold beneath Becker's knee. He reached out to touch Connor's wrist.

"Duncan!"

"Hil," replied Jess's voice "that car… it left… an hour ago… I've been trying to trace it… so we could find Connor, but…"

"Jess," interrupted Becker. "Connor's here… and we need an ambulance… now."

While the other security team members searched the room, Becker stayed by his unconscious friend. The soldier had seen enough combat injuries to know that Connor's pallor, rapid pulse and uneven breathing were signs of a body going into shock. Getting to the hospital… quickly… was crucial.

"Stay with us…," said Becker. "just… hang on mate."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

"What?" asked Jess.

In the ARC, Jess sat back in her chair, blinking her eyes in surprise. She was startled momentarily by Becker's news, but then Jess was pushing buttons, speaking into the phone, efficiently directing the emergency team.

"Hurry please."

Lester was hovering behind her when she finished.

"They found Connor?" he asked.

Jess nodded. She didn't trust herself to speak just then. Connor had probably been lying on the concrete for the better part of the night. If they hadn't of found Connor now, there was no telling when, or if, the dark haired scientist would have been found.

"What kind of people kidnap a person," asked Lester "and then leave him?"

"The kind that don't know what they're doing," said Jess.

She started pointing out traffic on the CCTV scans she'd monitored most of the night.

"You can see where they put Connor in the car and drove off," Jess explained "and here is where we lost them… they started into the hospital car park, but then disappeared… it wasn't until I backtracked from the laptop location…"

Lester listened to the young woman babble on, but he had his own theory about what kind of people they were dealing with… the kind that didn't care whether Connor lived or died.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

The eastern sky was starting to brighten, when the dirty old red Volkswagen Beetle pulled off to the side of the road. The tall thin woman opened the car door and ducked her head as she stepped outside. She stretched, rolling her shoulders and unkinking muscles too long confined in the tiny car. Even if it hadn't been for the dim, early morning light, her short bristly blonde hair and loose, baggy clothing made it difficult to determine her gender.

"Here?" asked April in surprise "You want me to stop out here? In the middle of nowhere?"

The other woman reached into the car and grabbed her bag from the back seat. She slung it over her shoulder. She regarded her protégé critically. April had recognized the message on the laptop as a tracing program and they'd been able to avoid capture. They'd left the dingy gray sedan in a car park, and stolen a smaller car. But if April hadn't run into the man to begin with… there wouldn't have been a problem. The small blonde woman was becoming a liability.

"There's something I must do," said the woman. Her angular, bony face regarded April for a moment, before frowning. "And you really shouldn't be a part of it… anymore."

The tall woman pulled her coat tight, then turned without another word and strode off. April was shocked into silence momentarily as the woman disappeared into the woods.

"Wait! You said you'd take me to the future with you," called April. She clambered out of the tiny Beetle and ran after the tall woman. "Aurora!"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	4. A New Dawn

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

A/N Part of the Claudia story verse, story picks up right after Trimming The Tree (AU)

_5.1-4 AU _

"…_something I must do__…"_

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

"Abby," hissed Jack standing there barefoot and shirtless, "ssh! Or you'll wake up Connor's Mum. You really don't want to her to hear you say something like that now… do you?"

The petite blonde narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she gazed at her brother. She hugged her pink robe tight over her flannel pajamas.

"Jack," Abby said, drawing out his name slowly, "it's not like you to be so considerate. What is it that you want?"

Jack's face changed expression for just a moment, before settling into his normal smirk. Abby had seen a glimpse of that same expression the other morning… was it… regret?

"Considerate?" Jack scoffed. "Me? You've got me mixed up with some other bloke!"

Abby sniffed. That was the baby brother she knew… and loved, in spite of his selfishness.

"You're the only brother I've got," replied Abby. "Not likely I'd mix you up with anyone else."

Jack leaned back against the refrigerator. He swallowed.

"And you're the only sister I've got," said Jack, "and you deserved better than me for a brother."

"What?"

Abby stared at Jack in amazement. He'd never… not ever… said anything like that to her before.

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked turning back to face the kitchen cabinets. "I know I've got a thermometer around here somewhere…"

She pulled open the utility drawer and started searching. Jack crossed the room and held his hand out to stop her.

"Abby," said Jack "I'm not feeling right… but a thermometer is not what I need."

"What do you need?"

"I need to tell you I'm sorry," said Jack. "I've been a selfish prat… and I shouldn't have gambled Rex… and made a mess… and… and…so many things… and mainly… I shouldn't have taken you for granted."

"Who are you?" Abby replied, trying to make a joke out of this totally unexpected conversation. "And what have you done with my brother."

Jack gazed back at her. For once in his life, he actually looked serious.

"Abby, I can understand if you don't believe me," he responded "but… I am sorry."

Abby's blue eyes welled up with sudden tears. She'd been keeping all her worry about Connor very tightly contained… controlled even. Jack's sudden apology… she'd wished a thousand times for him to grow up… but this… this wasn't her brother.

"I don't believe you," Abby snapped. "After everything you've done… what on earth would make you apologize now?"

Jack watched his sister as she walked out of the kitchen.

"Connor," he called out.

Abby stopped in midstride. She turned in the doorway to face her brother.

"What about Connor?"

"Connor said…," continued Jack, "he wished he'd had a sister… and I ought to have a care… Abby, I could have gotten you killed that day."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

In the ARCs control room, Jess tracked the progress of the emergency vehicle on one of the big monitors in front of her.

"Hil," she said "the emergency response team is pulling up outside the building now."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Becker watched the emergency medical technicians insert an IV into Connor's arm, put an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose, take his pulse... and... The soldier snapped.

"Why don't we get Connor in the ambulance," suggested Becker biting his words through clenched teeth. "You can try getting the blood pressure reading on the drive to the hospital."

The med techs were already bundling Connor onto the collapsible gurney. The younger technician grunted and seemed to nod.

"Jess," said Becker into his comm. device as he followed the emergency crew out of the dark cellar and into the early morning light, "I'm going with Connor to the hospital… someone should be with him."

"Yes," agreed Jess.

"But I promised Abby…"

"Hil," said Jess "we've got you covered. Duncan's on his way to get Abby... and I'll meet you there as soon as the techie from Delta team arrives."

The hospital really wasn't that far away… it just seemed that way. Becker watched the machines with their blinking lights… and strange sounds… and his friend's chest rise and fall.

"Breathe Connor," thought Becker "breathe."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby, Connor's Mum, and Duncan arrived at the hospital. Becker was pacing in the emergency waiting room.

"Connor!" called Abby. "Where is he?"

Becker caught her by the shoulders and held her. The morning light, coming in through the windows behind them, cast their shadows on the floor towards the closed doors in front of her.

"You can't see him just yet," said Becker "he's in surgery."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Aurora stopped and turned to look at April. The small blonde was running after her, black boots crunching on the leaves and new fallen snow.

"Don't you ever listen to a word I say?" the tall, angular blonde sneered. "There isn't a future… not unless we save it today."

"I can help," insisted April "I know this world… and you don't."

"Hmmph," snorted Aurora.

Maybe April could still be useful. She pointed at the tracks from the red Volkswagen to where they now stood.

"Can you get rid of those tracks? We don't want anyone following us."

"I can do better than that," said April, a cold calculating smile spreading across her face. "I can get rid of the tracks… and the car."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Jess transferred the control of the ADD to the young Delta team technician.

"And remember," she said "no eating at the workstation."

The senior field coordinator grabbed her bag and started to leave, when she remembered Lester. Jess looked inside his office. He was leaning back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.

"I'm going to the hospital now," said Jess. "Would you like a ride?"

Lester straightened up in his chair. Worry lines showed around his eyes.

"No," he said "I have to wait for Matt… he said he had something to tell me. But I'll be over as quick as I can."

Jess nodded and turned to leave.

"Oh…," added Lester, almost as if it was an afterthought, "you'll call me… let me know… if…"

"Yeah, I'll call if…," nodded Jess, "but I won't really… because… there's not going to be an if… Connor's going to be just fine."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Matt told Lester. The ARCs director rubbed his eyes and looked at the team leader.

"Seriously?" asked Lester "After everything that's happened this night… morning now actually… you want me to believe you're from the future…sent back in time to save the world."

Matt nodded.

"It would be easier to believe you were clinically mad," replied Lester.

"There were many of us sent back... to different eras," continued Matt. "I thought, since the ARC in this time had a policy of non-interference with the anomalies… there couldn't be a threat."

"There's always a threat," Lester snapped. "Sometimes we just don't see it."

"The anomalies are occurring more frequently," reminded Matt. "And if someone thought that since we're not locking anomalies… and there's no Philip Burton here… maybe... I don't know... maybe they would focus on Connor… he was the only other person we thought might… have something to do with…"

"Armageddon?" asked Lester tiredly. He rubbed his eyes again. "Matt, would you drive me over to the hospital? My car was towed."

The two men walked out of Lester's office. The ADD started blaring. Lester hurried over to the console and leaned over the Delta technician trying to see where the newest disaster was occurring.

"Coordinates," Lester asked "where is it?"

The technician rattled off some numbers quickly.

"What is that… something new," asked Lester "the middle of the North Sea perhaps?"

"Oh no sir," replied the Delta coordinator. "It's an old site… we've been here before… according to the notes… it's called the racetrack."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	5. Boxing Day

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

A/N Part of the Claudia story verse, story picks up right after Trimming The Tree (AU)

_5.1-5 AU Boxing Day_

"…_save the world__…"_

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby looked up at Becker, her chin was quivering and her blue eyes were shining bright. She blinked them rapidly to clear the tears. Abby had seen the CCTV film… she knew when she'd seen the image of Connor bouncing off the hood of the car that he had to have been hurt badly.

"Let go of me," Abby hissed. "I've got to see Connor… got to know he's alright."

The tall soldier shook his head. He was still holding Abby by the shoulders.

"He's not in there Abby," said Becker. He turned Abby to face away from the emergency room, and pointed down the corridor.

"They've taken Connor to surgery," repeated Becker. "I've been waiting for you… it's this way."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby walked with Becker. His big black boots made very little sound on the shining white tile floor, while her bedroom slippers made a soft slipping noise. Behind her Duncan's footsteps echoed loudly. Connor's pudgy friend kept an arm out for Connor's Mum. The older woman looked pale, and had hardly said a word since Duncan had knocked on the door early this morning.

"_They found Connor," said Duncan as he pushed his glasses up on his nose. "I've come to take you to the hospital."_

_The ARC's big SUV was parked behind him, the motor still running. Two of the tires were up on the kerb. Abby hurried outside._

"_Wait… wait for me," called Mrs. Temple. _

_The older woman was still dressed in the clothes she'd worn yesterday. She'd slept in them. She grabbed a coat and climbed into the SUV beside Abby. Jack started out the door too, but Abby shook her head._

"_Someone's got to stay here," Abby said "we don't know how long we'll be…"_

"_Right," replied Jack "I'll just stay… keep an eye out Patrick... and feed the pets… and…" _

_And whatever else Jack might do was drowned out as Duncan revved the SUV just then, jerking the big vehicle forward, off the kerb and into the street. Connor's Mum was still trying to buckle her seat belt. She shoved the coat she was carrying towards Abby._

"_Here Abby," said the older woman "you might want this."_

_That was when Abby realized she was still in her pajamas and bedroom slippers._

Becker was speaking to her. Abby shook her head to clear it.

"What?" she asked.

"How did you get here so quickly?" asked Becker "Jess called… she's just now on her way."

"Duncan picked us up in one of the SUVs," replied Abby.

Becker stopped walking. Duncan stopped short, just barely missing running into the tall soldier. Becker looked down at the smaller man.

"You're not authorized to drive the SUVs," said Becker. "Do you even have a driver's license?"

"I just did what I had to do," said Duncan squaring his jaw. "Somebody had to get Abby and Connor's Mum."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

The waiting room was empty except for seats made of chrome and an ugly off white vinyl that looked as if it need to be scrubbed. The chairs were horribly uncomfortable and Abby kept getting up and pacing across the floor. How Duncan had managed to fall asleep was beyond her.

"He's been up all night," said Becker stifling a small yawn. "He was tracing cell phones and computers, while Jess went through the CCTV tapes."

"Did I hear my name mentioned?" asked Jess as she peeked into the waiting room. She held up a carry container of cups. "I brought coffee."

"Jess," said Abby "you're a life saver."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Jess took Mrs. Temple to the hospital cafeteria for a proper cup of tea. Becker leaned against the wall next to where Duncan sat slumped in his seat. Duncan was snoring. Abby took a sip of her frothy coffee and regarded the tall soldier.

"Jack told me what you and Connor did," said Abby quietly.

It was almost funny to see Becker freeze at her words.

"It was Connor's idea," said Becker.

Abby smirked. She'd been upset with the two of them going off every other Saturday for the past several months… supposedly for pistol shooting practice, but Connor never seemed to improve. But from what Jack had said, the two men had been searching for her brother all that time.

"_I check up on Dad when I can," said Jack "that's where Connor and Becker found me."_

"_Why didn't you come back with them then?"_

_Jack shuffled his feet and looked down. He seemed embarrassed._

"_Didn't really think I should," mumbled Jack, "but Connor… he told me I needed to come back… or it wouldn't be Christmas for you…."_

_Abby's eyes softened as the thought of Connor and Becker tracking down Jack for her._

"_Connor was right," whispered Abby. _

"_And Becker," said Jack, "he's pretty scary when he stares at you… with his arms crossed… he asked me… what kind of brother I was."_

"Thanks Becker," said Abby.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Lester arrived shortly after Jess and Connor's Mum returned from the cafeteria. He carried flowers and a box of candy.

"Limited selection at the hospital gift shop," apologized Lester. "Is Connor still… have we heard…"

"We haven't heard anything yet," replied Abby with a sigh.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

The doors to the surgery finally opened. Three people dressed in hospital scrubs came out of the room. Behind them, an orderly wheeled out a hospital bed. Connor's pale face and dark brown hair could be seen at the far end of the bed, the rest of his body was covered with a white blanket.

"Connor!" exclaimed Abby.

She jumped up from the seat, and ran towards him, but the orderly moved to block her way.

"What do you think you're doing?" snapped the doctor. "Get away from my patient."

"You don't understand," replied Abby. She stepped from side to side, trying to see around the big orderly. "I have to see Connor… I have to know he's alright."

"Patient care is our first concern," said the doctor in a stern tone. "Protecting the safety of our patients…"

"I wouldn't hurt Connor!"

Another orderly came out of the operating room, bumping the first orderly forward a bit. Abby could see Connor clearly. An IV drip dangled from a hook above his head, the drip line fed into his arm. There was another tube of some sort disappearing into Connor's nose. The second orderly pushed a tray full of equipment. Wires ran from the tray to Connor's arm.

"And our second concern is all the government's rules and regulations. There are privacy laws to consider," sniffed the doctor as he took off his latex gloves. "Are you Mr. Temple's emergency contact?"

"I'm his partner," said Abby, staring in dismay from Connor to his mother.

"And I'm his mother," added the older woman. She stood nearby, holding on the back of a chair to support herself. "Anything you can tell me… Abby should know as well."

Abby gave Connor's Mum a trembling smile.

"Well I can't tell either of you anything," snorted the doctor "unless you are Mr. Temple's emergency contact."

"That would be me," said Lester. The ARCs director stood slight in front of Jess and Becker. He frowned at the doctor. "And you'd better tell us everything."

The doctor sniffed in disdain. He wasn't going to be intimidated by Lester.

"My patient needs quiet," said the doctor. The surgeon gestured with his hand. "Take him to the recovery room… until the anesthesia wears off."

Abby watched as the two orderlies resumed moving. Connor and all the equipment disappeared further down the corridor.

"We can talk in my office," the doctor added.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

"The splenectomy went well, no complications," said the doctor. He looked at the clipboard he was holding and jotted down some notes.

"Splenectomy?" asked Connor's mother. The older woman looked paler now than she had before.

"What's that?" added Duncan. He squinted his eyes and stared suspiciously at the doctor. "What did you do to Connor?"

"I removed his spleen," replied the doctor.

"What for?" asked Duncan. "Why didn't you just fix it?"

The doctor shook his head at the pudgy man's insistent questions.

"Some things can't be fixed," answered the doctor. "Maybe… if Mr. Temple had been brought in directly after the initial injury…"

"Connor was hit by a car," said Jess. The field coordinator was standing next to Abby, with an arm around the petite blonde.

"Ahh…," said the doctor with a nod. "Yes, that would explain the initial injury. If he'd been brought in then… maybe, we could have saved the spleen. But the subsequent trauma… made it necessary to remove…"

"What subsequent trauma?" interrupted Becker.

The doctor stopped speaking and stared at the tall soldier.

"Not having seen exactly what happened to Mr. Temple," replied the doctor "I won't speculate…"

"Tell me!" demanded Abby. "What happened to Connor?"

The doctor sighed. He pointed to an anatomical chart of the human body hanging on the wall.

"The initial injury caused a small rupture to the spleen," lectured the doctor. "And may also be the cause of the head injury… bleeding resulted, but there are indications of subsequent injuries…"

Becker remembered the CCTV images… of an unconscious Connor being dragged across the pavement and shoved into a car… and Becker remembered watching the care the emergency crew took to load Connor onto the gurney… counting… one… two… three… lifting his friend gently and evenly.

"So if someone moved Connor roughly," asked Becker "would that have caused the additional injuries?"

A pained look crossed the doctor's face. The man closed his eyes and breathed in sharply. He didn't answer Becker's question.

"Mr. Temple should be able to go home within the week," said the doctor, "I expect he'll make a full recovery, and resume normal activities within the next four to six weeks."

Becker exchanged a glance with Lester. The ARCs director was frowning.

"Right now, we're just waiting for Mr. Temple to wake up," continued the doctor.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Lester watched as Abby, Becker, Jess, Duncan and Connor's mother trailed out of the doctor's office. Lester looked down at his hand. He ran his thumb lightly across the fingernails of his hand, looking for all the world as if he were inspecting his manicure.

"If you were to speculate," asked Lester slowly "what do you think might have caused Connor's additional injuries?"

"The injuries," said the doctor, "remain consistent with blunt force trauma, but I don't know the cause… and I won't speculate."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Sarah and Jamal were in the waiting room with the others when Lester rejoined the little group. Sarah had brought a tin of biscuits to share. Jess was leaning tiredly against Becker. The soldier was dunking one of the biscuits in his cold coffee. Sarah looked at Lester in dismay.

"Someone should have called," said Sarah "I would have been here sooner if I'd known…"

"Didn't want to wake you," replied Lester "someone is going to have to be awake at work tomorrow."

Lester turned and looked at Jess and Becker. They had been up all night. So had Duncan, but at least he'd slept some in the waiting room.

"Go home now," ordered Lester. "Go home… and get some rest. You're both on the next shift."

"No," said Jess "not until we know about Connor…"

The waiting room door burst open as a very irate Scot strode in.

"What happened to Connor?" asked the Professor. "Lester… no one called me. Did you know that?"

Lester turned to glare at the man. Dark circles showed under Lester's eyes.

"It was my idea," replied Lester.

"What?" asked Cutter. "Why on earth wouldn't you want me to be informed when one of my team is injured?"

"Did you really want me to wake you and your family up in the middle of the night?" asked Lester. "Just so you could stay up and worry with the rest of us?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Cutter left the waiting room and Claudia came back in his stead. She sat down next to Abby and squeezed her friend's hand.

"Hospital staff," said Claudia "won't let Stephanie in this ward. So Nick is taking Stephanie to my father's… he'll be back soon."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

When Cutter returned, he was carrying a large flat box.

"Turkey sandwiches," explained Cutter as he passed them out. "I thought you might be hungry."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Matt and Emily arrived later, bringing Charlotte, Patrick and Jack with them.

"We just wanted to stop by and see how Connor was doing," said Emily. She stood next to Abby, near the window. "But I think the hospital staff might not like visitors."

"Why do you say that?" asked Abby.

"The nurse asked me how many more people were coming," replied Emily.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Lester, Becker, Cutter and Matt were huddled together in the corner on the other side of the room. They were whispering.

"Jenkins locked the race track anomaly," Matt informed them. "We didn't see any signs of an incursion... I've got a full security team… including LRAD and canine units on site."

The race track anomaly had closed shortly after Abby, Connor and Danny had initially disappeared. And when the delta coordinator told the location of the newest anomaly alert, Lester had made a decision.

"_The non-interference policy does not apply to that future," ordered Lester. "Lock it."_

"Why did the anomaly reopen now?" asked Cutter. "It seems to be too much of a coincidence."

"I don't know," replied Matt. "Connor might know..."

There was a moment's silence as the men stared at each other.

"Was there any word on the driver of the sedan… or the mugger?" asked Lester.

"The delta coordinator was able to trace the sedan, using the information Jess obtained," answered Matt. "We still haven't identified the blonde woman... and the picture of the other person isn't clear enough to do anything with… but he found where they left the sedan… and stole a red Volkswagen Beetle."

"Good," said Becker "then we can trace that car too."

"Already done mate," replied Matt "but it's not going to tell us much."

"Why?"

"There was an explosion," said Matt "the car was totally incinerated…"

"I want those two found," said Lester. "I don't care where they're hiding… just find them."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

An orderly pushed Connor's hospital bed out of the recovery room. He started making his way towards the large lift, while the nurse frowned at the crowd of waiting people.

"He can't have visitors," the woman informed them. "He needs his rest."

Abby pushed through the friends and family gathered together in the waiting room until she stood directly in front of the nurse.

"How is Connor?"

The face on the hospital bed turned towards the sound of Abby's voice. One raspy word sounded.

"Abby."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

_A/N Claudia's universe continues… in one form or another… for all time._


	6. Auld Lang Syne

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

A/N Part of the Claudia story verse, story picks up right after Trimming The Tree (AU)

_5.2-1 AU Auld Lang Syne_

"…_speculate__…"_

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

It was raining when Connor came home from the hospital.

"Do you really think Connor should be coming home so soon?" asked Jess. "With his injuries?"

The young field coordinator stood behind Abby as her friend held the dark green door wide open. Becker had his arm around Connor, helping him from the SUV parked at the kerb towards their home.

"Someone would have gone barmy," reminded Abby, "if Connor had stayed in the hospital any longer."

The two women exchanged a glance as Abby remembered.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

_Abby watched in dismay as the orderly wheeled Connor's bed down the corridor. Lester's voice sounded behind her._

"_Now that everyone knows Connor's all right," said Lester "you should all go home."_

_There were protests and complaints at first, but then between hugs and asking Abby if she needed anything, most of their friends had gone home or to work, leaving a much quieter waiting room. Lester was at the nurse's station. Duncan and Connor's mother stood by the door, waiting for Abby._

"_Abby," said Duncan. "We should be going too. We can come back tomorrow when it's visiting hours."_

"_But…," protested Abby "I can't leave… Connor…"_

_From the look on her face, Abby could tell that Connor's mother agreed. Lester finished talking with the duty nurse and strode across the tiled floor towards them. _

"_Abby," interrupted Lester gently, "the nurse got the doctor's permission, one person at a time can stay with Connor… they just don't want a dozen people trying to barge in all at once."_

"_Oh!" exclaimed Abby as she hugged the man tightly. "Thank you!"_

_Lester stepped back, brushing off his lapels._

"_Of course, you'll have to scrub up," added Lester "they've got a thing about germs."_

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

"Do you mean Connor," asked Jess with a small smirk "or that nurse?"

"Actually," said Abby "I was thinking of that doctor."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

_Abby stayed with Connor all that long day. The nurses kept coming round every fifteen minutes and checking Connor's blood pressure. The evening nurse started chatting with Abby as she pulled back the blanket. _

"_Sponge bath," explained the cheerful auburn haired nurse._

_The woman had misinterpreted Abby's shocked expression. Abby expected to see bandages covering part of Connor's chest, but she hadn't expected to see the bruising and swelling all up and down Connor's left side, shoulder, hip, and thigh._

"_Your lad is lucky you know," replied the nurse to Abby's questions. "Don't know how he managed not to break any bones." _

_Connor's mother arrived as the doctor returned to check on his patient. _

"_I said __one person at a time," huffed the doctor. _

"_I'm just leaving," said Abby. "We're taking turns sitting with Connor."_

"_Why are you being so strict?" asked Connor's mother. "Is it really necessary?"_

"_You really don't know what you're doing," said the doctor. "Every time someone comes in here… they're bringing germs."_

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Jess chuckled.

"That doctor really doesn't seem the friendly type at all," said Jess.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

_Abby, Connor's Mum and Duncan took turns sitting with Connor for the next five days. But of course, other visitor's returned to check on Connor. Claudia and Cutter stopped by the next morning._

"_Connor won't know if you're here or not," reminded Claudia. "He's probably on a lot of pain killers, like when you were in the hospital."_

"_You might be right," agreed Cutter, "but I knew you were there."_

_Later that evening, Sarah stopped by on her way home from work. Abby stepped out into the corridor. The dark haired archeologist stepped close and hugged Abby._

"_I don't want to come in," said Sarah, "but I did want to stop by. How is he?" _

"_Connor seemed to wake up and try to talk a few times," answered Abby, "but then the nurse puts stuff in the IV… mostly… he sleeps."_

_The field coordinator and the Captain arrived together shortly after Sarah. Jess hugged Abby, while Becker peeked through the window at his friend. _

"_Has there been any word on who did this?" asked Abby. _

_Becker shook his head. The doctor appeared in the corridor then. He looked at the little group clustered outside Connor's room. The man rubbed his hand across his forehead and frowned._

"_I said __one person at a time," reminded the doctor. _

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

"Well Connor can have as many visitors as he wants now," said Jess with a bright smile.

She and Abby watched the two men approaching the door.

"Almost there Connor," encouraged Becker. "Just a few more steps and then we'll be out of this rain."

Connor's face was pale. Beads of perspiration mingled with raindrops on his forehead. He grunted as his foot finally crossed the threshold. Connor reached a hand out and grasped the stair rail to steady himself as Abby closed the front door behind the two men.

"Never quite realized how many stairs there were," sighed Connor.

"Did you want to go upstairs now?" asked Becker. "Or stay down here a while?"

"Connor you promised to get some rest," reminded Abby "otherwise, the doctor wouldn't release you."

"It's New Year's Eve," protested Connor.

"And we're not going anywhere," said Abby. "I'll bring the laptop upstairs… we can watch the Dr. Who episode you missed."

Connor's face brightened at that thought. He nodded, and Becker helped Connor slowly climb the stairs.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

"Connor's resting," said Becker when he returned. "His Mum is sitting with him."

The tall soldier reached for Jess's coat and held it out for her. Jess slipped one arm and then the other into the sleeves while Becker continued talking.

"Good thing Patrick met us at the top of the stairs," added Becker. "It's as if climbing the stairs totally wiped Connor out."

Abby sighed. She knew the doctor had said it would be a while before Connor regained his strength, but it hurt to see him like this. She reached for the envelope on the hall table. Tonight's dinner dance was something she and Connor had both been looking forward to for quite some time, but at least the tickets wouldn't go to waste.

"Here," said Abby as she handed Jess the envelope. "I'm glad Matt and Emily decided to stay in London. Would you please give them these tickets?"

"Yeah," said Jess, "but we'll miss you both."

"Have a good time," said Abby "I'm just glad to be home with Connor."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Jess changed out of her work clothes quickly. The New Year's Eve dinner and dance at one of London's best restaurants was something she had been looking forward to as much as Abby. The dress she pulled off the hanger shimmered in the light. The sheer maroon fabric had traces of sequins along the shoulders, cascading down the bodice. She slipped the dress over her head and turned to look in the mirror. The swirl of skirt as she moved was perfect for a dance floor.

"Are you ready yet," asked Becker as he poked his head into the bedroom.

"Hil," answered Jess, as she turned her back to him, "almost… would you zip me up please?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Patrick and Charlotte quit watching video games as Abby lifted the laptop off the desk.

"Can we watch Dr. Who with you and Connor?" asked Patrick.

"Yeah," agreed Abby. "Come on."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Matt was carrying an umbrella and had his arm around Emily, when Jess and Becker finally arrived at the restaurant.

"Let's get inside, out of this rain," said Matt. "Sarah and Jamal went in already to get a table."

The food was good, the music even better, but the dinner conversation was about work.

"We've identified the driver of the sedan," said Jess "a woman named April Leonard… not much known about her really…"

"What about the other person?" asked Emily.

"We're still working on that," replied Jess.

"We don't really know much," agreed Sarah, "but I do believe that was a woman."

Becker grunted.

"I think the vehicle is important," said Becker.

"Which one," asked Matt, "the sedan or the stolen Volkswagen?"

Becker raised his eyebrows.

"Neither," he replied "the sedan was abandoned, the Beetle torched… I'm talking about the white panel van."

"What van?"

"Didn't Lester tell you?" asked Jess in surprise. "A white panel van was stolen from near where the Volkswagen was found…"

"And it turned up near the race track," added Becker.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

In the front bedroom upstairs, Connor was stretched out in the middle of the bed, his eyes were closed. His mother was in the chair nearby reading a book. She looked up as Abby entered the room followed by Patrick and Charlotte.

"What have you got there?" asked Connor's Mum.

"I recorded Dr. Who…thought Connor might want to watch the show," said Abby.

"I think he's sleeping," began the older woman.

"No," interrupted Connor, "I'm not sleeping… not yet anyway."

He blinked his dark brown eyes, and smiled at Abby.

"Just resting my eyes," Connor continued "it feels good to stretch out on my own bed."

Abby set the laptop up on the dresser where Connor could see it. Patrick, Charlotte and Connor's mum brought chairs near and crowded close. Abby sat down gingerly on the edge of the bed beside Connor. She didn't want to shake him. Previews were playing before the start of the episode.

"Where's Jack?" asked Connor. "Did he not want to watch the show?"

"He watched it with us when it first aired," replied Abby.

"Has he gone then?"

"Not exactly," smirked Abby.

"What then?"

"Duncan found him a job," said Abby, "as an apprentice for the plumber the ARC uses."

"Really," said Connor in a surprised tone, "is he working then on New Year's Eve?"

"Jack started today," replied Abby, "flushing the drains beneath the menagerie. He should be home soon."

"Is he going to stay with us then?"

Abby looked at Connor, her blue eyes silently pleading.

"Shh," said Patrick. "The show's starting."

Abby looked around at the faces staring intently at the laptop screen. Connor's Mum would be leaving for her home tomorrow. Charlotte would be returning to uni shortly, as well as Patrick. Tonight, privacy was the one thing she and Connor were missing, but she could wait.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

The rhythmic music started. Sarah and Jamal rose from their chairs and headed to the dance floor. Jess quivered in her seat. She turned to face Becker.

"Do you know how to tango?"

Becker and Jess joined Sarah and Jamal on the dance floor. Emily looked at Matt.

"What's a tango?" asked Emily.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

"Eww!" exclaimed Jack.

The drain trap beneath the mammoth's pen had been clogged. Jack was now staring at what had blocked the drain.

"What is that?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	7. Mind The Gap

Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.

A/N Part of the Claudia story verse… reminder the ARC is under the direction of the Ministry of Defense… story picks up right after Trimming The Tree (AU)

5.2-2 AU Mind the Gap

…"_the last night coordinator?" Continuum chapter 15…_

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby awoke to the sound of rain beating against the bedroom window. The sound of Connor's soft breathing was nearly drowned out by the splatter of drops on glass panes. Abby curled up and rolled over on her side. She wrapped her arm around Connor's warm body. For a moment, waking up in bed with Connor was almost like it used to be, but then Connor hissed as her hand came into contact with his bruised side.

"Oh Connor!" exclaimed Abby. She pulled her arm back and sat up in the bed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you."

"S'all right Abby," said Connor. "I'm fine."

Looking at Connor's pale face, clenched jaw, and tightly closed eyes, Abby didn't believe him. She climbed out of the bed, and grabbed her robe.

"I've got to get ready for work."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby took a quick shower and then returned to the bedroom. Connor was stretched out on the bed with his arm over his eyes. Abby glanced out the window as she pulled on her brown cargo pants. The weather was unseasonably warm for January. The Christmas snow had long since melted, and it had rained every day since Connor came home from the hospital.

"Tomorrow I won't have to leave so early," reminded Abby.

She grabbed first her red tank top, then her yellow t-shirt. Finally, Abby pulled a long sleeved gray fleece over her head.

"Lester said I could have the morning off," added Abby "to take you to your doctor's appointment."

"Uh huh," grunted Connor.

The ARCs director had stopped by their home Saturday morning.

"_You brought the health and safety forms by?" asked Abby in surprise. "Surely this could have waited."_

"_Making sure Connor gets the care he needs can't wait," sighed Lester. He closed his eyes and rubbed his hand across his forehead. "The authorization forms for physical therapy, follow up visits with the doctor… they're all in there."_

"_Thank you Lester."_

"_May I see him?"_

"_He's sleeping," replied Abby. "I don't want to wake him…"_

"_Does he remember anything about the people that took him?" asked Lester. "We still haven't managed to trace them… it's as if they disappeared into thin air."_

Abby walked over to stand beside Connor. His eyes were still half shut, and she wondered if he'd even heard a word she said. But then Connor removed his arm from his face and looked up at her.

"Bye now," said Abby as she bent down.

Connor raised his head to meet her. Their lips met. The kiss was light, sweet, and over far too soon in Abby's opinion. Connor leaned back on his pillows with a sigh.

"Have a good day at work."

Abby walked out of the bedroom, then stopped and turned to look at Connor once more.

"Don't forget," she added "Patrick's here if you need anything."

"Trust me Abby, I'll be fine," said Connor with a sigh. "I don't need babysitting you know."

"I never said you did," replied Abby.

She turned on her heels and strode quickly towards the door. At the entrance to the bedroom, she paused and turned back to look at Connor.

"Try not to miss me too much."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby was pouring a cup of coffee when Jess entered the break room. While Abby's more casual attire was better suited for menagerie work and field calls, the field coordinator's position in the ARC required a different attire. Jess wore a smart red dress, matching red heels with blue edging, and a necklace of oversized red and blue metallic beads.

"Welcome back!" greeted Jess with a happy smile. "We've missed you."

The ARCs work was never done. And while the rest of the ARCs team had worked rotation shifts over the holiday period, Abby had been off to stay with Connor.

"Thanks," replied Abby as she began filling Jess's cup. "It just feels strange to be back at work… without Connor."

Abby nodded at her friend and held up the coffee pot in a wordless invitation. Jess grabbed her cup and set it down on the counter in front of Abby.

"How's he doing?" asked Jess.

"It's still hard for him to move," said Abby "Ever since he's been home, Patrick and I have taken turns bringing his meals upstairs."

Jess placed her hand on her friend's arm.

"The only time Connor has been out of bed in the past few days," continued Abby, "has been to walk to the bathroom."

"He's only been home since New Years Eve," reminded Jess. "It will take time for him to get his strength back."

Abby took a sip of her coffee.

"Yeah, I know," said Abby, "but I'm worried about him. On New Year's Day, I recorded the conclusion to the Dr. Who episode… he was asleep when I brought the laptop upstairs, but… he hasn't wanted to watch it yet."

"Just give him some time Abby," advised Jess. "I'm sure he'll come round."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Lester's Monday morning meeting started with the usual updates on facility changes at the ARC.

"I expect everyone to comply with the new parking rules," said Lester. He nodded at Becker.

"New security procedures are in place," explained the soldier. "No one should use the car park across the street. Buddy up when you leave the premises."

"There are not enough parking spaces," protested Sarah.

"Car pool," suggested Becker. "Then we'll have enough parking spaces and you'll have your buddy with you."

Sarah looked as if she would argue some more, but Claudia spoke. It was her first day back at the ARC since being on maternity leave.

"Safety is important… we can work out car pooling arrangements later," said Claudia. "What's next on the agenda Lester?"

"More facility issues," replied Lester. With a nod in Abby's direction, he continued, "The new plumber's apprentice did a very thorough job last week. He located the source of our current drainage problem."

Abby remember Jack telling her… _"I know the menagerie area is important to you… I wanted to do a really good job cleaning it out… I wanted to show you… I can do something right… you can be proud of me too."_

"A rat's nest that big," said Abby "takes time to get built. Don't we have pest control at the ARC?"

"Rats!" exclaimed Emily. She wrinkled up her nose in distaste.

Lester picked up a sheaf of papers from the table in front of him.

"According to these bills, yes," replied Lester. "The accounting department will be starting the new year off with an investigation into why we are paying for a service we obviously didn't get."

"How did rats get inside the ARC?" asked Cutter.

"If you recall," answered Lester "this building had some reconstruction work after an explosion…"

"Not likely to forget that," replied the Professor, "but that was well over a year ago."

"Repair and reconstruction was done as quickly as possible," said Lester "but the underground drainage system was not properly assessed. There is a gap… between the foundation and the pipes…"

"Perhaps we should move to a different building," suggested Matt, "one with more parking, better security…"

"More space for the creatures," added Abby.

"The Ministry of Defense is sending a Colonel over this afternoon," answered Lester "to assess a number of issues… possible relocation to a new facility is one of them."

"What are the other issues?" asked Cutter. The professor narrowed his eyes as he gazed at Lester.

"Another rat's nest was found beneath the smilodon's containment area," said Lester. "It contained bits and pieces of human clothing."

"What?" exclaimed several voices.

"The smilodon's containment area has a sheltered area," continued Lester.

"Yes," interrupted Abby "the creature is supposed to be able to bring its food back to a den. Most carnivores like to gnaw on bones. It's good for their teeth."

"Is the den ever inspected?" asked Lester.

Abby rolled her eyes.

"Two weeks ago, Blakely left with no notice," reminded Abby. "He had been signing off that he'd cleaned and inspected the carnivore containment areas, but he hadn't. I spent the better part of the week before Christmas cleaning out the hyenadon den… it was awful."

Abby remembered the frustration she had felt when she saw the state of the hyenadon den… filled with debris from their feedings. By comparison, the smilodon den was pristine, there was no scent of rot, only a pile of bare bones beneath the creature.

"Bones were found in the smilodon's den," prodded Lester.

"Yes, when I checked the smilodon den," said Abby "I shot Lucy with a tranquilizer. She didn't go straight down. She staggered to her den, and collapsed on the bone pile… an anomaly alert sounded, so I didn't have time to move her and inspect beneath her…"

"Well," said Lester "it appears we may have found our missing night shift coordinator."

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	8. Trust Me

Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.

A/N Part of the Claudia story verse… reminder the ARC is now under the direction of the Ministry of Defense… story picks up right after Trimming The Tree (AU)

5.2-3 AU Trust Me

…"_what we're working on is important"…_

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Murmured sounds of confusion followed Lester's words.

"Are you talking about Philip Burton?" asked Becker. "There's been an ongoing search for him all over London ever since he disappeared. We want to question him about his involvement with Helen Cutter."

"You won't get to question him," said Lester. "It would seem as though Burton never left the ARC."

"What do you mean?" asked Abby.

"Human bones and Philip's ID card were found in the smilodon den," replied Lester. "We won't know for certain until we get the forensic report, but it may be Burton…"

"I'm going to have to buy Lucy an extra large beefsteak," said Cutter. His lips were compressed in a grim line.

"Nick!" exclaimed Claudia. She reached her hand across the table to squeeze Cutter's hand. "No one deserves that kind of death…"

"Burton's actions put you and Stephanie in danger," reminded the Professor.

Abby was shaking her head.

"How is that possible?" she asked. "If Burton went into the menagerie it would have been seen on the security camera."

"One of the modifications Burton installed into the mainframe," answered Lester "was to set the security camera in the menagerie to replay a continuous loop. Duncan found the problem, and set it back to a live feed his first day working at the ARC."

"Then why didn't we know about the problem then?" asked Becker. "We would have done a full scale search of the ARC if we'd known."

"It's all in Duncan's log report," replied Lester, "but no one except him can read his scribbles."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

The Colonel and his aide arrived later in the afternoon. Jess brought the two men to Lester's office.

"Colonel Harper and Second Lieutenant Bledsoe to see you," introduced Jess before returning to her station in front of the Anomaly Detection Device.

Lester rose to greet them. The shoulders of the Colonel, an older thickset man, were embellished with insignia identifying his rank, two Bath Stars below St. Edwards Crown. The second lieutenant's shoulder looked bare in comparison with only one Bath Star. Bledsoe was carrying a clipboard and holding a pen. He pushed his glasses nervously up on his nose.

"Welcome," said Lester. "It's not often we get military visitors."

"Over sixty percent of your staff is military," reminded the Colonel.

"Yes," agreed Lester as he adjusted the cufflinks on the sleeves of his gray suit. "Our permanent staff, both civilian and military, are all part of the ARCs team. The last time we had military visitors…"

The subtle emphasis Lester placed on the last word did not go unnoticed.

"All your personnel are now part of the ministry of defense," reminded the Colonel, "but we're not planning a take over like Christine Johnson tried."

"What exactly are you here for?" asked Lester.

The colonel and his aide exchanged a glance. The colonel turned away from Lester and stared through the glass. Across the central room of the ARC, Jess could be seen sitting at in front of the computer array.

"We'll want to do a standard inspection," explained Bledsoe.

"Inspection?" asked Lester. "What kind of inspection?"

"Personnel… equipment… processes… everything really," answered Bledsoe. "We're here to determine if the ARC… and its mission are necessary… or if funding should be withdrawn and the ARC closed down."

"Oh that would be a colossal mistake," replied Lester.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Lester, Colonel Harper and Second Lieutenant Bledsoe were in the armory.

"A fully equipped armory?!" huffed the Colonel. "Government tax dollars could be better spent…"

The loud strident clanging of the anomaly alert interrupted.

"What's that?" asked the Colonel, but Lester was already out of the armory and striding towards Jess's workstation. The Colonel and Bledsoe hurried to catch up.

"Jess," asked Lester "where is it?"

"It's the race track," replied Jess. "I'm trying to bring up the CCTV visuals."

From various hallways, Becker, Matt, Abby, Sarah and Cutter converged on Jess's workstation.

"It was locked," protested Becker. "I've got a security team with canine units and LRAD equipment at the site… how can it be open again?"

"LRAD equipment!" exclaimed the colonel. "Do you have any idea how much that stuff costs?"

Becker looked at the senior officer. The slight raise of his eyebrow at the colonel's outburst was the only indication of the Captain's struggle to maintain his composure.

"Yes," Becker replied "I filled out the requisition forms."

"And I approved them," snapped Lester. "We don't go buying equipment because we think it's pretty you know... we buy it because it's needed."

The Colonel and Bledsoe exchanged a glance. Bledsoe jotted something down on the paper in his clipboard.

"I can't get a visual," said Jess in a worried tone.

"What?" asked Cutter. "Did something come through and take out the CCTV?"

"No," answered Jess. "The signal is still present… the camera is working… but the image… I'm just getting static."

"Becker, I know you've got men on guard there," said Matt "but we should really check it out."

Becker, Matt, Abby and Cutter were halfway down the corridor, when the Colonel spoke.

"Wait for us," called the Colonel. "I want to see the team in action."

Lester looked at the staff officer in some surprise.

"There is no waiting in this business," said Lester. "If you want to go… you best hurry."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"The SUV is gone," said Becker as the ARCs team pulled up to the old storage building near the race track. "It should be parked right here."

"Well I don't think a predator or one of those nasty bugs Sarah hates so much would be driving off with your SUV," replied Cutter in his rolling brogue. "What would make your security team leave?"

"They wouldn't abandon their post," replied Becker.

The tall soldier was already by the door, back against the wall, trying to peer through the tiny glass pane to the interior. The heavy metallic slide of Becker's gun being readied was almost drowned out by the arrival of the second SUV. The Colonel slammed the door as he exited the vehicle, followed by Bledsoe and the other members of the ARCs security team.

"What is the meaning of this?" roared the Colonel.

Becker turned towards the man, the barrel of his weapon turning in the same direction also.

"Sir," replied Becker in carefully controlled tones "as Officer In Charge, I respectfully request you to remain silent."

The colonel spluttered for a moment.

"Or," continued Becker "if you wish to relieve me of my command… and take over..."

"You talk like you're on a battlefield," hissed the Colonel.

"A battlefield might be safer," said Cutter quietly.

The Colonel was no fool. He'd read the reports, knew the mission. He nodded.

"Carry on," said the Colonel "this will be part of my observation."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

The initial confrontation was over in less than ten minutes. The nasty bugs swarming over the bodies of two German Shepherds were dispatched quickly. Sarah nervously typed in the commands to re-lock the anomaly.

"It's not locking!" the archeologist exclaimed.

"Matt, get the back up locking device," ordered Becker.

"No!" said Sarah. "The locking device is working… but something is jamming the signal."

"Jess," called Cutter into the comm. device "are you picking up any signals… anything that would interfere with the locking device…"

Clanging noises sounded from a truck parked just past the locking device. Becker looked at the beat up old vehicle.

"That wasn't here yesterday," Becker said slowly.

He and Abby approached the dented and rust covered machine, holding their weapons before them.

"We need to make the noise stop," said Cutter, "before the sound attracts something else through the open anomaly."

Muffled voices could be heard from inside the back compartment of the truck. Becker and Abby both smiled as they recognized the voices of the missing security detail. Becker opened the door. Private Sharma cradled a wounded Lieutenant Andrews.

"We need an ambulance," said Private Sharma "one of those creatures stung D. J."

Abby looked at the thing impaled in Lieutenant D. J. Andrews calf.

"It's not a stinger," Abby said "but you're right… we do need an ambulance."

Behind them, Sarah was frantically reconnecting wires on the locking device.

"Jess," said Sarah "if you're right about the polarity… this should work…"

A clicking, chittering noise sounded from the anomaly… a head full of teeth poked through the golden lights. Sarah thrust her finger at the locking device. The anomaly pulsed, shimmered… and the front half of a future predator fell to the floor as the anomaly locked.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

The next morning, Patrick helped Abby get Connor down the stairs and into the mini. Abby chattered as she drove to the doctor's office.

"I wish you could have seen Cutter's face," said Abby, "when the colonel asked if we couldn't just blow up the anomalies."

"I wish I had been there," replied Connor.

"After the colonel and his aide left," continued Abby "Lester said the ARC shouldn't have any problems getting the budget renewed."

The corners of Connor's lips were turned up in an almost smile as Abby pulled into the car park. She stepped out of the car and hurried around to the passenger side. Connor slowly climbed out of the mini.

"You can lean on me," offered Abby.

"The pavement is flat Abby," huffed Connor "trust me… I can manage to walk to the office by meself."

Abby watched as Connor slowly made his way from the car to the door of the doctor's office. She decided not to mention the two women who had come through the race track anomaly in the beat up old truck, nor the device in the truck that reversed polarity on anomalies. The device had a triangular logo with initials CT imprinted inside… and the two women… Private Sharma had identified one of them right off when Lester showed her the picture of the people who'd abandoned the white panel van near the race track several days earlier.

_"Yes, that small blonde woman drove the truck through the anomaly," confirmed Private Sharma. "She ran right over Cupcake and Luna!"_

_The mention of the two German Shepherds brought tears to Private Sharma's eyes._

_"Their truck stalled out," continued the soldier. "They dropped that device and it skidded across the pavement when they got out of the vehicle. I picked it up... D.J. and I were chasing them, but the bugs..."_

_"Can you tell us anything about the __other woman?"_

_"I really can't say for sure, maybe... she could be the other person," answered Private Sharma, "but the picture is so blurry..."_

_"Thank you," replied Lester. "If you think of anything else to help us find these two..."_

_"Just one more thing," added Private Sharma, "the smaller woman called the tall one... Aurora."_

April Leonard, the driver of the car that hit Connor, was back, with a tall blonde woman named Aurora… and they knew how to travel through anomalies… and they had returned with a device that had Connor Temple's design logo on it.

No, Abby shook her head as she followed Connor into the doctor's office. She wasn't going to tell Connor about any of that.

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	9. Anomaly in an Art Gallery

Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.

A/N Part of the Claudia story verse (AU) Transitions, Transitions Too, Continuum, Trimming the Tree

5.3-1 AU Anomaly in an Art Gallery

…"_what's happening to us"…_

-x-x-x-x-x-x

The waiting room receptionist finally called Connor's name.

"Dr. MacAllister will see you now," she said in a cheery tone.

Abby started to get up with Connor, but he looked at her and shook his head.

"If you don't mind Abby," said Connor "I'd like to do this on my own."

In the examining room, the physician's assistant took Connor's temperature and then handed him a gown.

"Take off your clothes," ordered the woman. "I'll get the blood pressure reading when you've got all those shirts off."

When the physician's assistant returned, she frowned at Connor's bruised left arm and then moved to his right side to fasten the blood pressure cuff. She jotted down the numbers on Connor's record.

"Doctor will be in to see you in a few minutes," the woman said as she closed the door behind her.

It was more than a few minutes later when the doctor finally arrived.

"Well Connor," greeted the gruff old Dr. MacAllister, "What have you done to yourself this time?"

Connor regarded the bearded old man who had splinted ankles, stitched cuts and performed his annual physical for the past several years.

"I didn't do anything to myself," Connor replied "A car hit me… doctor at the hospital said to have a ten day follow up with my regular doctor… didn't they tell you anything about that?"

Dr. MacAllister looked from his patient's battered body to the slim file folder in front of him.

"Why don't you tell me about it in your own words," the doctor dissembled.

"Not much to tell," said Connor.

"What do you remember?"

Connor sighed. He blinked his eyes and looked away for a moment, before answering the doctor.

"Someone stole my laptop," answered Connor. "I chased after her… the next thing I remember… everything hurt… I think I was in a car… a woman was talking about a hospital… another woman said no… we can't take him there."

"What?" exclaimed the Doctor. "Why?"

"Dunno," replied Connor. "She talked like she knew my name… it meant something to her. The next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital."

Connor stopped speaking for a moment. He gave a small smile.

"Abby was there."

Dr. MacAllister stepped closer. He held the stethoscope up.

"Why don't we just examine you now?" he asked.

The doctor moved the thin fabric of the gown to one side and pressed the cold stethoscope on Connor's chest.

"Breathe in," directed the doctor. He moved the stethoscope lower. Connor winced as it pressed against tender flesh. "What did they tell you about your surgery?"

"They removed my spleen," answered Connor.

"And are you still on medication?"

"Loads," replied Connor. "But I can't remember the names of the medicines…"

Connor paused for a moment, took a deep breath and continued.

"I can't remember much of anything really, my mind is just a jumble, and I have nightmares about boots," Connor blurted out. "My brain's not working right."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby looked up from her magazine as the doctor spoke sharply to the receptionist.

"Geraldine," asked the doctor "do I have all of Mr. Temple's records in this folder?"

The woman looked up from the nail file she was brushing across her finger tips.

"All the files were up to date before the holidays," Geraldine replied. She pointed at an inbox full of papers. "I haven't got to the new stuff yet."

Dr. MacAllister glowered.

"Would you kindly check for any new records pertaining to Mr. Temple?"

"Sure," responded the receptionist cheerfully.

Dr. MacAllister stared at her. She blinked.

"Oh," she added "do you mean now?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby met Jess in the ARCs break room later that afternoon.

"Missed you at lunch," greeted Jess. She started to refill her coffee cup.

"It was late by the time we got out of the doctor's office," replied Abby. "Connor and I had lunch at home."

"Hope everything went well," said Jess lightly as she reached for the creamer. She didn't want to pry.

"I think so," confided Abby. "The doctor arranged for a physical therapist to come by our home twice a week. For now anyway, at least until Connor can get up and around on his own."

"Oh good," smiled Jess.

Abby took a sip of her tea as she regarded her friend. She didn't tell Jess what she had done when Connor was settled in the mini after his appointment.

"_Connor," said Abby, "I left my magazine in the waiting room… wait here, I'll be right back."_

_In the waiting room, she asked the receptionist if she could talk to Connor's doctor. The woman wasn't going to help her, but the doctor heard their conversation._

"_You're Mr. Temple's partner," said Dr. MacAllister "right? Step this way."_

_In the doctor's office, the gruff old man didn't answer Abby's questions. Instead he asked some of his own._

"_Have you noticed any changes in Connor's behavior," asked the doctor, "since this happened?"_

"_Connor's not himself," said Abby. "He sleeps a lot and isn't interested in… things he's normally interested in."_

"_The sleeping is probably due to some of the pain medications he was on," replied the doctor. "It would probably account for the dizziness and headaches too."_

_Abby gaped at the man's words. What else had Connor not told her? The doctor looked at the chart in front of him. His gray and white mustache moved up and down as he harrumphed about the words he read._

_"Once the meds get out of his system he should start to improve," said Doctor MacAllister. "However, I'm going to ask you to watch him."_

"_Watch him for what?"_

"_Connor has indicated that he is experiencing symptoms of memory loss, confusion and nightmares," explained the doctor. "I'll need you to watch him for signs of worsening symptoms... or depression… mood swings… any mental issues at all really." _

_Abby's blue eyes filled with tears. Her chin wobbled for a moment, then she clenched her jaw in determination. She nodded._

Abby smiled at Jess.

"Our lives seem to be all at sixes and sevens," replied Abby. "I just don't know what's happening to us."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Lester stood outside of Cutter's open lab door. The director had a funny expression on his face and was twisting something small in the fingers of his hand. Cutter pressed another metal rod into place. It snapped on with a satisfying click. The professor stepped back and regarded his three dimensional map of the anomalies. He knew Connor and Jess had a computerized representation in the database. It might be old school, but Nick liked the tangible model better.

"Are you coming in?" asked Cutter. "Or just going to stand out there in the hall?"

Lester stepped through the open doorway, and pulled the door shut behind him. Cutter raised his eyebrows.

"We have some additional information regarding the bones in Lucy's den," began Lester.

"The forensic report is back already?" asked Cutter in surprise.

"No, of course not… that will take weeks," replied Lester. "But the bones may not be our missing night shift coordinator after all.

"What makes you say that?"

"The forensic team found one more item," replied Lester "when they were sorting through the bone fragments."

He held up a small gold ring. Cutter took it from Lester grasp, held it up to the light and tilted it. Inside the shining band, engraved on one side was _HC & NC_, on the other side was one word… _forever_.

"No, no," protested the Professor. "I buried Helen in the Miocene."

"And according to Danny," reminded Lester "there is a Helen buried in the Pliocene too."

"But you don't understand," continued Cutter, "Helen couldn't be wearing this ring… she took it off years ago, threw it at me in one of our stupid… stupid… arguments."

"Well maybe another Helen threw the ring at Burton," said Lester quietly. "Right now… all we know for sure is human bones were found with Burton's ID and Helen's ring."

"The forensic team can count the ribs," growled Cutter "to tell the gender… and if they can't, I can."

"The bones have been in Lucy's den for several months," reminded Lester. "When the forensic team reassembles the pieces… they'll tell us what they can."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Lester and Cutter continued talking as they walked to Lester's office. Matt was waiting for them. The team leader held the device they'd found at the race track in his hands.

"We need to talk about this," said Matt.

Lester rubbed his hand across his forehead and sat down tiredly in his chair.

"I didn't get a close look at that yesterday," said Cutter. He held out his hand, and Matt passed the device to the Professor.

"This device wasn't made by our Connor," continued Matt.

"Are you sure?" asked Lester.

"Yes, it has his logo on it," answered Matt, "but the technology is all wrong. I don't think it was made anywhere in our time."

Cutter was turning the gadget over in his hands, inspecting it carefully. And he remembered... Helen's place in the Miocene where devices... some marked with a similar triangular logo and the initials CT, some marked with CAT, and some with a feline image... all existed.

"If Connor's theory of multiple universes is correct," said the Professor in his rolling brogue, "this could be made by another Connor Temple in some other time... some other place..."

"Oh, just what we need, another Connor Temple," sighed Lester. "How very reassuring."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Two women broke into a disused power station. They raised the rolling door and drove the stolen SUV inside. Once the vehicle was safely out of sight, there was no chance of anyone finding the SUV. The women started unpacking gear. The portable gasoline powered generator was the last item taken from the hardware store.

"It seems funny," said April with a smirk "setting up a generator in a power station."

"And how else would we get electricity here?" asked Aurora sharply. "This power station was decommissioned years ago."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

An anomaly alert sounded in the ARC.

"Another?" asked Lester as he made his way out of his office to Jess's workstation. "So soon?"

"It hasn't even been twenty-four hours since the anomaly opened yesterday," said Matt as he followed Lester.

"Yesterday's anomaly might have been manually opened," reminded Cutter.

Becker and Abby joined the group at the anomaly detection device. From various hallways, Claudia, Emily and Sarah could be seen heading towards Jess's workstation.

"Coordinates indicate an art gallery," said Jess. "According to the gallery management, the building should be closed and no one inside. They're set up for a presentation… but it doesn't open until tomorrow night."

"Let's go."

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	10. The Return

Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.

A/N Part of the Claudia story verse (AU) Transitions, Transitions Too, Continuum, Trimming the Tree

5.3-2 AU The Return

…"_nothing is ever going to be the same"…_

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Matt, Cutter, Becker, Abby, Emily, Sarah, and Claudia started towards the car park.

"Not all of you at once," roared Lester.

The team members looked at each other.

"And who do you want to go check on this anomaly?" asked Cutter. "And who do you want to stay?"

Lester's gaze travelled to the device Cutter still held in his hands.

"You stay," replied Lester. "Try to figure out where or when that thing came from."

Another pinging noise came from the video array in front of Jess.

"There's another anomaly!" exclaimed Jess.

"Where?"

"Westminster," answered Jess.

Lester shook his head. He pointed past Matt, Becker and Abby.

"You three go check out the art gallery," Lester ordered. He turned and pointed the opposite direction. "Emily, Sarah, and Claudia… you come with me to Westminster."

"You're going?" asked several voices in surprise.

Lester adjusted his tie and grinned.

"Parliament, Number Ten, and Buckingham Palace are all in Westminster," Lester reminded. "What kind of bureaucrat would I be if I didn't go?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Matt, Becker and Abby entered the art gallery. Flashing lights and a motion sensor showed pictures of themselves on an electronic display climbing the wall to the floor above. Becker shook his head.

"Not my style," he muttered "I'm really more of a post-impressionist…"

Abby tried to hold back a chuckle. Matt was already half way up the stairs.

"Come on now," called Matt.

Becker and Abby hurried after.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Claudia drove the SUV carefully following Jess's directions. Emily and Sarah tried to suppress a smirk.

"The Victoria Embankment," Lester sighed, "are you sure?"

"Yes," replied Jess in a crisply efficient tone. "The anomaly is near Cleopatra's Needle."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby was the last one up the art gallery stairs.

"Abby," warned Becker "stay back… something is coming through."

The anomaly rippled and shimmered. First one man, then another ran through and skidded to a halt near Becker. Matt was pointing his taser at the pair. A smile started across Abby's face as she recognized them. The two men appeared a trifle older, tired and worn, but they were still her friends.

"Danny! Stephen!" Abby exclaimed. "You're back!

Matt started to lower the taser, but Danny shook his head. He was panting, hands on his knees.

"Hurry and lock the anomaly," urged Danny. "There's a creature after us."

Matt and Becker exchanged a glance.

"Non-interference," reminded Matt. "We just monitor anomalies… only locking them if we're sure there is a threat."

"Oh there's a threat all right," gasped Stephen.

A low rumbling growl filled the air. The anomaly shimmered and shook. The bottom portion of a jaw, sharp teeth and long tongue appeared. The tongue thrust into the art gallery, searching. Becker was already opening the anomaly locking device, when Matt spoke.

"You're right," agreed Matt "we should lock it."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Lester tapped his foot impatiently on the pavement. He stood to the right of Cleopatra's Needle, near a small bronze replica of a sphinx. Sarah, Claudia and Emily stood in front of the obelisk, gazing upwards, and around… searching.

"We're here Jess," Lester said, "but I don't see any anomaly. Has it closed?"

"No," replied Jess. "According to your black box signal, the anomaly should be right in front of you."

Lester glanced through the bare branches of the tree lined road. He looked to the left, and then to the right.

"All I see is the road, pavement and some trees," Lester complained. "There aren't even any tourists."

Jess's indrawn breath was audible over the communication device.

"All right," Jess replied "the anomaly should be right behind you then."

Lester slowly turned around. He looked over the bronze statue, into the River Thames. A brief glimpse of a long neck and a pair of flippers made him close his eyes and groan.

"The anomaly is in the water," Lester declared "and unless I miss my guess, we've got a friend of Nessie's visiting."

"Nessie?"

"Yes, you know…," spluttered Lester "the Loch Ness Monster."

Cutter's voice came over the comm device.

"Lester," the Scot asked "are you talking about a plesiosaur?"

"Just call the Royal Marines," ordered Lester "and get this section of the river blocked off."

"Already on it," replied Jess.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

The tongue withdrew from the room, to be replaced by the baleful glare of a yellow eye. The trumpeting sound of a frustrated carnivore echoed through the room as the anomaly locked. Abby stepped up to Danny and hugged him tight.

"Where have you been?" Abby asked. "We've missed you so much!"

"Oh you know," chuckled Danny "a little here and now, mostly there and then…"

"In the cretaceous," replied Stephen. He stepped forward for his turn at a hug. "Danny had some fool idea about returning a cell phone…"

"It wasn't a foolish idea," objected Danny.

The lanky red head looked around the room as Becker slapped him on the back.

"What only three of you to meet us?" asked Danny. "Where is everyone else? Where is Connor?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Lester watched the boats surrounding the creature with some satisfaction. The anomaly might still be open, but the creature was contained. Emily was watching in amusement as Sarah explained to the boat captain why he couldn't tie off to a priceless Egyptian artifact. Claudia was walking towards Lester.

"Lester," called Jess's voice over the comm. device "there's a situation… you're needed here."

The simple phrase "there's a situation" was one Lester and Jess had agreed upon long ago.

"Claudia," called Lester "would you take over here… I've got to get back…"

"Seriously?!" exclaimed Claudia. "You're leaving now…"

Claudia watched as Lester ran out into the street, raised his arm and flagged down a car.

"Just keep everything calm, cool, and collected," said Lester. He climbed in and was gone before Claudia could respond. "Carry on."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby walked down the corridor with Danny and Stephen towards Jess. Becker and Matt had dropped them off and continued on to Westminster. Lester was already in his office. Abby stopped to talk with Jess while Danny and Stephen continued on.

"So did you and Cutter figure out how that gadget works?" asked Abby.

"I've been too busy to even look at it," replied Jess. "Cutter got tired of waiting for me and took the thing to Connor."

"What?" asked Abby. "Connor is on medical leave."

"Abby," replied Jess "Cutter is just going to ask Connor what he thinks…"

"It's late," said Abby. "I've got to go."

She turned quickly and headed for the car park, not waiting to hear a response.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Lester looked up from his desk as Danny and Stephen entered the room.

"Welcome back," greeted the director.

Stephen dropped his heavy rucksack by a chair and sat down facing Lester, while Danny walked past the man to the filing cabinet. He opened it and pulled out the bottle of whiskey Lester kept there.

"Oh by all means," said Lester "help yourself."

Danny reached into the filing cabinet again and brought out two heavy glasses. He carried the glasses to Lester's desk. Set them down and poured a stiff shot into each. Danny kept the bottle in his hand and raised it.

"Are we having a toast?" asked Lester. "To what?"

"To the future," replied Danny, he took a swig of the whisky, "in all its many and marvelous variations."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

When Abby pulled up in front of their home, she saw Cutter's car parked out front. She started to insert the house key in the green door, but the door pulled open in front of her. Cutter glared at her and stomped out. He reached the kerb, and turned to face her again.

"Abby your boyfriend is the most stubborn, pig-headed man I've ever met," said the Professor.

"Obstinate too," added Abby with a smirk.

Cutter nodded without realizing who she was referring too and then turned to leave.

Rex was on the banister when Abby entered the home. He chirped a greeting. Abby rubbed him under the chin.

"Now who do you suppose taught Connor all about being stubborn, pig-headed and obstinate?" Abby asked.

Rex chirped again and Patrick poked his head around the kitchen door. He looked at Abby.

"Is Cutter gone now?" asked Patrick.

Abby nodded as she rubbed Rex.

"Good," said Patrick "Cutter and Connor were yelling at each other."

Abby was startled. That didn't sound like Connor.

"I'll just go check on Connor," said Abby as she started upstairs. "Oh... and Patrick... Danny and Stephen are back."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Once the generator was set up and running, the two women resumed unpacking the SUV. When they got to the boxes of equipment from the electronics store, they stopped for a moment.

"Where is the copy you made of Temple's hard drive?" asked the taller woman.

"In the SUV, up front with the laptop," answered April.

Aurora brought the copy and the laptop and set them both on the folding table. She hooked up the copy and started downloading it to the laptop.

"Do you really think we should be building that device?" asked April as she resumed unloading boxes.

"We have to save the future," hissed Aurora.

"Just asking," said April. "The plans were labeled prototype… we really don't know if it works or not."

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	11. Bugged

Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.

A/N Part of the Claudia story verse (AU) Transitions, Transitions Too, Continuum, Trimming the Tree

5.4-1 AU Bugged

…"_our lives seem to be all at sixes and sevens"…_

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby left Patrick and Rex in the kitchen. When she reached the bedroom upstairs, she found Connor standing by the desk. His hands gripped the back of the straight backed chair tightly. His whitened knuckles showed in sharp contrast against his bruised skin. Connor was staring at a small cylindrical device.

"Hey," greeted Abby softly. "Are you missing me yet?"

Connor turned his head towards Abby. The warm glow in his dark eyes answered Abby's question. A slow smile spread across his face, bringing an answering smile to her face.

"Yeah," replied Connor. He winced as he stepped away from the chair. "C'mere."

Abby stepped inside his embrace and wrapped her arms gently around him, careful not to squeeze too tightly.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Lester reached across the dark wood desktop and wrapped his hand around his glass of whisky, but he didn't raise it at Danny's toast.

"Hmm," said Lester "I thought you were going to the past. Weren't you going to rescue our errant public relations specialist?"

"Percy didn't want to come back," replied Danny. "He found his Lady Emily and wasn't going to leave her… not for anything."

"And certainly not for us," added Stephen.

"Sarah told me you left the middle ages," said Lester, "searching for Helen."

Both Stephen and Danny nodded.

"Just how many Helen's are there?" asked Lester.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Connor snuggled in to Abby. He rested his head on her shoulder, then he sniffed.

"You smell," he whispered, stepping back with a wry smile.

Abby nodded.

"Big ugly creature with bad breath," Abby explained. "Why don't you tell me about your day, while I change out of these clothes?"

Abby noticed the way Connor's body swayed. She sniffed loudly and wrinkled up her nose, quickly changing her tune.

"Better yet," suggested Abby "why don't you lay down, while I take a quick shower?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Cutter arrived at the ARC just as Claudia, Sarah, Emily, Matt and Becker finished unloading the SUV. Sarah, Emily and Matt walked down the corridor towards the locker room, while Becker turned the opposite way heading towards Jess's workstation. Claudia stopped, waiting for her husband.

"Oh Claudia," sighed Nick as he stopped briefly to kiss her, "Sorry… I've got to get Matt…"

Claudia placed her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows as the professor hurried past her. Cutter strode right up to Matt, tapping him on the shoulder. Sarah and Emily continued on their way with just a brief backwards glance at the two men. Matt turned to see Cutter stopped mere inches away from him.

"You need to come with me to Lester's office," said Cutter shortly.

"What for?" asked Matt in surprise.

"Because we need to know where every person from your time was sent," replied Cutter. "And exactly what your mission was supposed to be."

"Nick," said Claudia with a hint of a frown. "I'm coming too."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby came back to the bedroom a short while later, wearing her pink flannel pajamas. Connor was lying down, stretched out on the bed with his arm over his eyes much like he had been Monday morning when Abby had gone to work.

"Tell me about your day," prompted Abby.

"Not much happened around here since lunch," replied Connor. "I'll bet your day was way more interesting."

Connor's eyes followed her movements as she walked around the room. Abby opened the closet door and tossed her dirty clothing into the hamper, then she dropped her short black boots by the foot of the bed. They landed with a soft thump on the rug. Connor inhaled sharply.

"I heard Cutter stopped by," said Abby.

"Yeah."

Abby turned away from Connor and picked up the hairbrush on the dresser. She glanced at Connor in the mirror as she began brushing her short blonde hair.

"Patrick said you two were yelling at each other," continued Abby. "What for?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Danny sat back in the stuffed black leather chair with a sigh.

"One Helen is more than I ever wanted to meet," the lanky red head replied.

"We lost track of her in the eighteenth century," added Stephen.

Lester leaned back. He rested his elbow on the arm of his chair, holding his chin in his hands as he gazed at the two men.

"Let me get this straight," said Lester "you left the middle ages chasing after Helen, lost her somewhere in the eighteenth century and somehow returned from the Jurassic. How is that possible?"

"It was the cretaceous," said Danny. "Not the Jurassic…"

"The dating calculator combined with the anomaly map that Connor created," answered Stephen "has made it possible for us to travel through time… somewhat accurately…"

"I wanted to put the blue cell phone back," interrupted Danny. "I thought… there might be a time… when another Connor and Abby… could use it..."

"And…?" asked Lester.

Before Danny could answer, Cutter barged in followed by Claudia and Matt.

"I don't know where or when all the others were sent," huffed Matt. "and the mission was simply stop anyone... at anytime... from messing with the anomalies."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby looked up to watch Connor's reaction to her question. The rueful smile on Connor's face surprised her.

"Cutter's never going to change," replied Connor. "He still thinks most of my ideas are a load of rubbish."

"No Connor," Abby objected "Cutter has always said you've got a good brain, and you know more about anomalies… than…"

"Than Cutter," finished Connor.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Lester's office wasn't really designed to hold six people. The furniture was a bit too bulky, and it didn't help that the people inside were all very talented, highly strung… and very opinionated.

"And exactly what do you mean when you say messing with the anomalies?" asked the Scot.

"Interfering with the natural order," replied Matt grimly.

"People have always interfered with nature," replied the Professor. "Every time a person plants a seed… or waters a plant when it's dry…"

"Some people call that progress," added Claudia.

"That's not what I meant," snapped Matt.

"Why don't you tell us what you mean?" asked Danny. He gave Matt a grin, but the younger man noted the serious expression in Danny's eyes.

"In my time, the earth is ruined," began Matt. "The land is harsh… desert mostly and the air is toxic."

"People live in the Kalahari," reminded Danny "and in London smog too."

"Nothing lives on the surface in my time. We've got mutant bugs, insects the size of cars," added Matt, "giant rats and predators too…"

Cutter stared at the man from the future. The professor remembered something Helen had said once… three quarters of all animal species are either bats or rats. He'd doubted her numbers at the time, but never really bothered to check. He started to ask a question, but Claudia spoke first.

"What kind of predators," asked Claudia.

Matt crossed his arms and looked grim.

"Predators like that half a thing that come through the anomaly at the race track yesterday," replied Matt with a frown "but bigger... meaner..."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Seriously? Did you tell Cutter that?" Abby asked.

"No," sighed Connor, little tension lines creased around his eyes, "but I should have."

"Then what were you and Cutter yelling about?" asked Abby as she set the brush back down on the dresser.

Connor pointed to the device resting atop his bureau. The slight motion caused him to wince again.

"Cutter seems to think I know something about that gadget," replied Connor "It reverses polarity on the anomalies… I told him I didn't make it and I haven't got a clue how it works."

Abby walked over to the bed. She reached her hands out towards Connor's chest.

"Maybe you just forgot," teased Abby as she slid her hand slowly down his chest, "that device does have your logo on it…"

Connor grabbed her hand and held it still in his right hand. Abby stared at their joined hands in surprise as Connor continued to talk.

"Cutter said the device was made by a Connor Temple, but it wasn't me Abby," said Connor seriously "and I couldn't have forgotten that… the technology is just too different."

"Connor," said Abby, "you create a lot of things. You dream up more new ideas than most people… maybe you're confused… or you just forgot."

Connor looked at Abby with a strange expression on his face. His dark eyes looked hurt. He released her hand.

"Did Dr. MacAllister ask you to spy on me?" huffed Connor. "I told him… stuff…"

Connor's face flushed and he looked down for a moment. He took a deep breath and then looked back at Abby.

"Are you two working together behind my back?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Jess opened the door to Lester's office. She held a finger to her lips, while behind her… Becker held up a piece of paper marked with big black letters.

WE'VE BEEN BUGGED

Lester rolled his eyes.

"Seriously," Lester asked "has anyone heard from Christine Johnson lately?"

Becker shook his head from left to right. Lester's eyebrows went up in surprise.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

In the power station, the receiver squawked abruptly and fell silent.

"Aww," sighed April. "Just when the conversation was getting interesting."

Aurora's long bony arm reached in front of the smaller blonde woman and turned off the device.

"We'll have to leave now," said Aurora. "They might be able to reverse trace our reception and find this place."

"Where are we going?" asked April.

"Back to London," answered Aurora. "We've got to stop Connor Temple."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby held Connor. Her initial outburst… "_It's for your own good! Connor! Listen to me, please!" _had met resistance. It wasn't until she had climbed up in the bed beside him, turned his face towards her and repeated her plea, that he listened.

"People react differently to pain medications," Abby explained. "Dr. MacAllister just wanted me to watch you, in case you had a bad reaction… or if the pain was too much… and you needed the medicine back again."

"Everything hurts," admitted Connor, "but my head works better without that stuff."

His eyes were closed and his head was lying across her lap. As she leaned back against the pillows, Abby stroked Connor's forehead lightly with her fingertips.

"Thought me brain was broken along with everything else," mumbled Connor. "You might not love me anymore if…"

"What?" asked Abby in surprise.

"I heard you introduce me as your genius boyfriend at the Christmas party," Connor continued. "I'm not much of a boyfriend now am I... Abby... I want you to be proud of me… don't want you to be shamed of me…"

"Connor, I'm always proud of you," replied Abby "and I love you."

"Would you love me even if I forgot something important?" asked Connor.

Abby leaned down and lightly kissed Connor's forehead. She straightened back up and resumed stroking his forehead.

"You forget important things like eating," chuckled Abby "when you're working on a new idea, but I still love you."

"What if I got confused?"

"I am talking to the man who puts his socks in the microwave," reminded Abby.

"That's not confused," protested Connor in a sleepy relaxed voice, "is just warm."

"I still love you."

"Would you love me even if I woke you up when I have horrible nightmares?"

"What kind of nightmares?" asked Abby.

"Dunno," answered Connor. "Nightmares about boots…"

"I thought you liked my boots," chuckled Abby.

"Love your boots Abs," replied Connor sleepily. He yawned. "Your boots are soft and black and right sexy… not mean boots… hard and hurtful… with loads of spiders…"

Abby's blue eyes widened in surprise at Connor's words. What kind of boots were hard and hurtful? And where did the spiders fit in? What kind of nightmares was Connor having?

"Might have to get a really big slipper for the spiders," teased Abby.

Connor made no response. Abby looked down at his sleeping form. She yawned and leaned further back on the pillows. Those questions would have to wait, she decided. Right now, all she was going to do was hold on to Connor.

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	12. Pest Control

Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.

A/N Part of the Claudia story verse (AU) Transitions, Transitions Too, Continuum, Trimming the Tree

5.4-2 AU Pest Control

…"_we've been bugged"…_

-x-x-x-x-x-x

In the menagerie, Lester looked at the fiber optic cables piled on the floor between Becker and the mammoth pen. Behind the tall security officer, more men dressed in black security uniforms appeared carrying yet more cables.

"At Monday morning's meeting," said Becker "you said rats were getting in to the ARC through a gap between the foundation and the pipes."

"Yes, yes…," snapped Lester.

"I spent most of last night going over Duncan's log reports with him," Becker explained. "It took a while… as I don't think anyone, including Duncan, can read his scribbles."

"Not surprising really, Duncan's handwriting is even worse than his typing," mused Lester. "Perhaps we should get one of those voice recorders for him…"

"Duncan's area of expertise is structural engineering," interrupted Becker. "We pulled out the ARCs blue prints… and when I asked him about the gap… he said it wasn't in the plans."

For the second time this day, Lester's eyebrows went up in surprise.

"How did the gap get there," asked Lester "if it wasn't due to reconstruction work after the explosion?"

"We went and looked at it. It's not just a gap," replied Becker, "from this side it looks like part of the foundation with some jumbled rocks, but it's really a very carefully concealed hatch."

Lester's jaw clenched and his nose narrowed as he breathed in deeply, but he didn't say anything.

"The gap is just big enough to put your hand through and pull the opening lever from the other side," continued Becker. " I ordered a full scale search of the ARC, that's how we found the bugging devices."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

The traffic officer on duty late Tuesday night saw the big silver SUV on the traffic cam. He zoomed in on the license plate and grunted in surprise. He spoke into the communications device.

"Martin," said the highway agency traffic coordinator "there's an SUV headed your way… the one the folks in London have been going mad about."

The chuckle of his counterpart sounded over the device.

"Now won't they get their knickers in a twist if we fetch the vehicle for them?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"A hatch? Are you saying someone has infiltrated the ARC?" asked Lester. "And they're able to come and go as they please? How is it that we missed this?

"The hatch doesn't appear on our blueprints," repeated Becker. "None of us knew the hatch was there, so it's not part of our security checks... the opening is small... tucked away in the dark... in a place where human beings don't usually go."

Another soldier dropped more cables to the growing pile by the mammoth pen. The soft thud mingled with the indistinct sound of voices coming towards the two men. Lester shook his head.

"Maybe we do need to move to a new building," sighed Lester.

"In all his security tests, not even Danny managed to enter the ARC through the foundation," said Becker.

Another security officer moved away from the mammoth pen. Danny, followed by Stephen, approached Lester and Becker. The two men were covered in dust and grime.

"Did I hear you mention my name?" asked Danny with a cheeky grin.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

April glanced in the rear view mirror. Flashing lights on the bright yellow and black check marked four by four indicated she was to pull over and stop. Beside her Aurora shook her head.

"No," ordered the angular woman "we've got to get to London as soon as possible."

April gave a wicked little grin and floored the accelerator.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Did you find out anything?" asked Becker.

"Oh yeah," replied Danny, "that hatch leads to an old closed off section of the tube, lots of disused rooms down there and someone has been living in one of them."

"Living in the underground?" asked Lester.

"We think it was the same person who bugged the ARC," answered Stephen. " Whoever it was, it looks like they were there for a while, but they left in a hurry.

"Are you sure they're gone?" asked Becker.

"Think so, there are no personal effects or supplies" replied Danny, "besides the cables, the only thing left behind is a few empty carry cages."

"Cages?"

"Yeah, you know," said Stephen, "like the kind you use for pets."

"The same size as the one Abby uses for transporting Rex," added Danny.

Lester sighed.

"Are you sure Christine Johnson is still stationed in Antarctica?" the director asked in a plaintive tone. "I really prefer an adversary I can see."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Traffic Officer Martin called headquarters.

"People think they can race around the motorway like maniacs," grumbled the traffic officer. "The driver tried to get away… the SUV hit ice… skidded round… did a complete three sixty."

"Oh God," replied the voice on the other end.

"We'll need an ambulance and a tow truck and another traffic officer," continued Officer Martin. "The SUV is completely off the road… tell Jimmy I'll be down the embankment when he gets here."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Lester, Becker, Danny and Stephen walked up the corridor to the main floor of the ARC. Jess was the only member of the core team still present when they reached the hub.

"Where is everyone?" asked Danny.

"Well Claudia and Cutter had to go pick up Stephanie from child care," answered Jess, "and Sarah left to get Jamal… Matt and Emily left too… but I really don't know where they went."

Jess nodded at Duncan coming up the corridor towards her.

"The night shift started about an hour ago," she added.

"You're right, it's late," said Lester. "You lot should go home now and get some sleep."

"But I've got…" protested Becker.

"No," said Lester sternly. "You can't keep working nonstop… I heard you say you were up most of last night, and I know you have been on an anomaly alert yesterday and two today."

The tall soldier stood with his hands clasped behind his back as he listened to Lester's tirade.

"Go home and go to bed," finished Lester "and don't come back until afternoon tomorrow."

"Is that an order?" asked Becker.

"Yes!" snapped Lester. "All of you go home now!"

Danny and Stephen exchanged a glance.

"Well guv," said Danny, "that might be a little hard for us. We don't have a flat in this time period any more."

Lester's face reddened in frustration, but Jess had an idea.

"Patrick's still living with Abby and Connor," reminded Jess. She gave the men a brilliant smile. "You can ride with me. I'll drop you off at their home."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

April groaned. The SUV had finally quit moving.

"Aurora," she asked "are you all right?"

The taller woman had the door open on her side of the SUV and was crawling out. She turned and reached into the back seat for the laptop and her rucksack. Aurora didn't answer April's question, but instead checked to see if the equipment was alright.

"Aurora," called April "I'm stuck, the seatbelt won't let go. Would you give me a hand?"

Aurora looked at the smaller blonde woman caught in the overturned SUV.

"Now why would I do that?" asked Aurora before she turned and walked away.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

When Jess heard that Lester planned on sleeping in the ARC again, she insisted he let her drop him off at his London flat.

"You need a good nights sleep too," reminded Jess in a cheery voice. "I can pick you up in the morning on my way into work. Just think, we're carpooling!"

"Just until I get my jag back from the impound lot," grumbled Lester from the tiny back seat where he sat squished beside Danny and Stephen.

Lester was dropped off first. Then the little orange car brought Danny and Stephen to Abby and Connor's home. The two men waved goodbye to Jess and Becker before knocking on the green door. Jack let them in, and Patrick came running from the kitchen when he heard their voices.

"I'll just let Abby and Connor know you're here," said Jack as he excused himself.

He headed upstairs, leaving the little group to their reunion. Jack tapped quietly on the front bedroom door. When he didn't get a response, he pushed the door open a bit and called his sister's name. When that didn't work, he poked his head inside the room.

"Abby, Danny and Stephen are here…"

Jack stopped talking when he realized both Abby and Connor were sound asleep. Abby was sitting upright, with her head leaned back against the pillows. One slender arm was draped across Connor's chest while the other hand lay upturned on the bed. Connor was sprawled sideways across the bed with his head resting on her lap and his fingers resting lightly on Abby's upturned hand. Jack grinned.

"I'll just put Danny and Stephen in the next room," said Jack as he withdrew. "I can sleep on the sofa."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

When Jess pulled the orange car into the parking space near Becker's flat, he turned towards her, hoping for a kiss good night, but she was already climbing out of the driver's seat.

"Where are you going?" asked Becker.

"Don't be silly Hil, it's after midnight, it wouldn't be safe," replied Jess. "remember... we're supposed to buddy up. You don't really want me driving off alone now, do you?"

Becker shook his head.

"You know how Lester is about health and safety," said Jess. "And besides... as the ARCs senior field team coordinator I have a job to do..."

"What?"

"Make sure you go to bed," replied Jess with a smirk. "You really don't think I'm waiting until Christmas again now do you?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	13. Mean Boots and Spiders

Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.

A/N Part of the Claudia story verse (AU) Transitions, Transitions Too, Continuum, Trimming the Tree

5.5-1 AU Mean Boots and Spiders

…"_hold on"…_

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby woke up early Wednesday morning. The bright morning sun was peeking in through the window, shining right in her eyes. She was stiff and had a crick in her neck from sleeping all night sitting up. Gently, she slid Connor's head off her lap. Abby placed her feet on the floor and stretched, reaching her hands high overhead. It wasn't until she twisted first one way and then the other that she realized… for the first time in the week since Connor had been home, he'd slept through the night.

"Was it pain," asked Abby in a low whisper, "or nightmares that have been waking you up?"

Connor snuggled into the blanket she tucked around him. His dark eyelashes fluttered against his cheek, but he didn't wake. Abby grabbed her pink robe, wrapping it around her against the January chill, and headed downstairs.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby heard voices coming from the kitchen as she reached the bottom of the stairs. She approached the kitchen door and peered inside. The tall red haired man dressed in blue jeans and a checkered shirt was readily identifiable even if he did have his back towards her.

"Danny?" Abby called in surprise. "I didn't know you were here."

Jack was already dressed for work in black coveralls. He was standing by the counter and held up the teapot invitingly. Abby nodded as she stepped into the kitchen. Her brother poured her a cup and held it towards her.

"Danny and Stephen came last night," explained Jack.

Abby nodded as she took a sip of the warm and fragrant tea. The sound of Patrick's snores echoing from the upstairs garret bedroom had told Abby the young man was still asleep. The open spare room door and sound of the shower running had led her to believe Jack was using up all the hot water again, but here he was in the kitchen.

"Yorkshire Gold?" she exclaimed in surprise. She'd been out of her favorite tea since Christmas, and with everything going on… hadn't had time to do the shopping.

"I got my first paycheck," said Jack proudly. "Picked up some tea for you."

"And I've started breakfast," smirked Danny. "Hope you like your eggs fried over easy… that's the only way I know how to cook them."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby, Danny and Jack were laughing over toast and fried eggs when Stephen walked in. He was dressed in blue jeans and long sleeved red sweater.

"I hope you saved some for me," said Stephen.

"Help yourself," said Abby.

"Have you told Abby about the bugs yet?" asked Stephen as he started fixing himself a plate.

"Bugs?" Abby wrinkled up her nose in disgust. "You found bugs in my home? What kind of bugs?"

"Not insects," said Danny soothingly, "and not here."

"After you left yesterday," explained Stephen as he joined the rest of them at the table, "we found out someone has been listening in on the ARC."

"Becker found some fiber optic cables running through a space in the foundation," added Danny. "The cables ran from an underground room near the tube all through the ARC."

"A space in the foundation...," asked Abby, "are you talking about the same gap where the rats came in?"

Stephen and Danny exchanged a puzzled glance.

"What's this about rats?" asked Danny.

"There's been a rodent problem in the menagerie," said Abby shaking her head. "I just don't understand… where do the rats go? Why didn't anyone see them?"

"Rats are shy creatures," said Stephen. "They don't like to be seen."

"Maybe the rats just come to the ARC when they're scavenging," added Jack, "and they live in the old tube tunnels you were talking about."

Abby turned at the sound of footsteps behind her. Connor was standing in the kitchen doorway. He was wearing the clothes he'd slept in, a v-necked long sleeved black t-shirt and gray drawstring flannel pajama pants which hung low over his hips. Abby smiled.

"Sid and Nancy have a tunnel from the cellar to the back yard," said Connor as he stretched.

Abby smirked at Connor's comment. As Connor reached overhead for the lintel, the t-shirt he wore rose up briefly exposing his bruised left side and part of the huge surgical scar. Connor lowered his arms and rocked back on his feet. The ring dangling from the chain around his neck bounced on his chest. Stephen and Danny looked at each other in surprise.

"You came down the stairs by yourself!" exclaimed Abby happily as she rose from her chair.

"Head doesn't hurt and I'm not dizzy today," replied Connor as he walked towards her. "I managed."

Abby hugged Connor carefully. Their lips met in the briefest of sweet kisses… or maybe not that brief… Abby heard Danny clear his throat.

"You two sit down," said Danny as he rose from the table. "I'll make more eggs."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Connor's right hand lay across the table top. Abby clasped his hand entwining her fingers with his carefully to avoid putting any pressure on the reddish purple square shaped bruise across the top of his hand. Jack swallowed another gulp of tea and stood to clear his dishes.

"Work," explained Jack as he disappeared down the hallway. "See you later."

Stephen remained silent while Connor ate. It wasn't until Connor finished his first plate of food and Danny placed a second egg on toast in front of Connor that the muscular young man spoke.

"That scar looks serious. What happened to you mate?" asked Stephen. "Abby told us yesterday you were on medical leave, but didn't say why. With everything else going on yesterday... no one told us anything."

"Had a disagreement with a Rover P5," said Connor. "The car won."

Abby was surprised that Connor remembered the type of car that struck him. The CCTV pictures had been blurry. It had taken Jess and the delta coordinator quite a bit of time to positively identify the make and model of the dingy gray sedan. Abby watched Connor as he took another bite of eggs and toast.

"You haven't eaten like that all week," said Abby.

"Food tastes great today," said Connor.

"Glad you like my cooking," chuckled Danny as he placed another fried egg on Connor's plate.

"You'd make a good short order cook," replied Connor with a grin.

Danny sat down next to Stephen. The breakfast conversation moved from Connor's accident to Danny and Stephen's travels through time.

"Apparently we got back to London just in time," concluded Danny.

"What do you mean?" asked Connor.

"Matt said we can expect more and more anomalies opening," explained Danny "until we reach convergence."

"What's convergence?" asked Connor.

"Loads of anomalies," answered Stephen.

"We had two anomalies at the same time yesterday afternoon," said Abby "and the one from the race track reopened on Monday."

"What?" exclaimed Connor looking startled. "We don't have the staff to handle that many anomalies occurring so close together."

"Danny, how many anomalies does it take to make this… this… convergence?" asked Abby.

"According to Matt," said Danny, "convergence is when anomalies keep opening… and keep opening… until they're open all over the world."

"All at the same time?" asked Abby.

Danny and Stephen both nodded.

"I don't think I like the sound of that," said Connor.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Stephen and Danny were doing the washing up when Abby's cell phone rang. Duncan was on the other end.

"There was a rollover on the M3 last night," said Duncan.

"That's awful," said Abby. She shook her head. "But why are you telling me this?"

""I'm not... I'm telling you Lester wants Danny and Stephen back at the ARC," replied Duncan.

"Then why are you talking about a rollover on the M3?"

"The driver wasn't hurt, but was stuck in the car until the police got there," explained Duncan. "They're bringing her here."

"Who?"

"April Leonard," hissed Duncan.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby stared into dusty interrogation room. The bright orange camisole and blue scoop-necked blouse she wore reflected in the one way glass. The room hadn't been used in years... not since Helen had first returned. The small blonde woman inside the room paced back and forth like a caged animal. April wore heavy black glasses, a black v-necked blouse and dark pants. Behind Abby, Danny and Lester were arguing.

"I'm trained in interrogation techniques," said Danny.

Lester stood with his arms crossed. The expression on his face seemed to indicate he wasn't the least bit impressed.

"No," replied Lester "it's my job…"

But neither man was going to talk to April Leonard first. As the small blonde woman paced past the rectangular table, Abby saw her boots. April's boots were heavy, thick soled and square toed… just like the square bruise on Connor's right hand.

"Ma'am," said the young security officer "you can't go in there by yourself... and you need authorization..."

The smooth cheeked young man gulped and backed up the herpetologist pushed past him and opened the door. Abby strode into the interrogation room.

"The man you ran into on Christmas night," said Abby "is my boyfriend."

"I don't know what you're talking about," smirked the other woman.

"Oh I think you do."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

The home was quiet after Abby, Danny and Stephen left. Connor remembered the device that Cutter had left and started upstairs. Rex perched on the banister watching each slow step that Connor took. The coelurosauravus chirped at Connor.

"Yeah, I remember I promised Abby I wouldn't overdo," said Connor "but I can't just sit around doing nothing all day."

The lizard chirped sharply almost as if scolding Connor as he took another slow step.

"Yeah," replied Connor "well unless you're gonna go get that gadget Cutter brought off the desk upstairs, I'm going to have to go get it myself."

The lizard soared off the banister. Connor watched as Rex flew into the bedroom. Connor waited a moment… and then another… he looked at the stairs in front of him and sighed.

"A bloke could hope," mumbled Connor as he started up the steep staircase.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby's blue eyes blazed with fury at the small blonde woman's obvious lie. April backed up a step as Abby stalked forward.

"Don't try to pretend you don't know what I'm talking about April," seethed Abby. "The CCTV images showed you clearly... you ran into Connor. You and that other person dragged Connor off… instead of calling an ambulance. Why?"

"It was cold," blustered April as she backed up another step, "we were going to take him to the hospital."

"But you didn't," snarled Abby. "Why did you take him?"

"It wasn't my idea, she wanted to question him," said April.

The woman dressed in black backed up again as Abby advanced further. Danny and Lester entered the room behind Abby. The young security officer remained watching from outside the interrogation room.

"You need to keep her away from me!" April exclaimed in a panicked tone.

The two men exchanged a glance. Lester shook his head. Danny shrugged. Abby stepped forward again.

"What did you do to Connor?" asked Abby. "And why is your boot print on his hand? And what's with the spiders?"

"Your boyfriend is heavy," said April. "He started to regain consciousness when we were bringing him into the basement... he began struggling... the concrete steps were slippery."

Abby's blue eyes widened as she began to comprehend what the woman was saying.

"We dropped him down the stairs."

"And the spiders?" asked Danny quietly.

April shuddered.

"Aurora keeps some strange pets," answered April. "I was only trying to help... you should be glad that I stomped on them."

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	14. Anomaly Alerts

Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.

A/N Part of the Claudia story verse (AU) Transitions, Transitions Too, Continuum, Trimming the Tree

5.5-2 AU Anomaly Alerts

…"_strange pets"…_

-x-x-x-x-x-x

April backed up into the far corner of the room, looking from one face to the other nervously. She finally settled her gaze on Lester.

"It's her fault, not mine," repeated April. "I wanted to take him to the hospital!"

"But you didn't take Connor to the hospital," reminded Lester. He narrowed his green eyes and stared. "You left him… alone… in a cold, dark basement and didn't notify the proper authorities…"

"There was no time," hissed April. "The tracing program on the laptop… someone was coming… we hurried to leave… I dropped the spider container…"

Lester wrinkled up his nose as if he smelled something bad. He continued speaking as if April hadn't said a word.

"Instead…," said Lester slowly "you went off to New Forest, blew up a Volkswagen, stole a white panel van, disappeared for a few days…"

April gulped.

"Then you and this woman came back," continued Lester biting each word out, "broke into a secured… government facility and stole an SUV… which you have now managed to crash."

Lester pushed the picture printed from the CCTV image across the rectangular table towards April.

"This is the same woman who abandoned you on the M3," said Lester. "Aurora… right? What can you tell us about her?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Connor grasped the railing and moved up another step. His chest was hurting. Rex flew out of the bedroom, circled overhead, and settled on the topmost banister. The coelurosauravus chirped and tilted his head as he watched Connor. Then Rex soared upwards again.

"A lot of help you are," grumbled Connor. He took another step.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Aurora hated walking in the open countryside. It was just too big… too open… too much. Walking in the dark, clinging to the shadows in the forest, the tall angular woman crouched low and managed to evade capture. She had arrived at the town in the dim predawn hours. Aurora sheltered in the alley until the local Sainsbury opened. Then shielding her eyes against the bright morning light, Aurora entered the store.

"Oh you're here early," greeted the cheerful shop assistant. "May I help you?"

"I need a map," replied the pale, bony faced woman, "I need to get to London."

The cheerful woman glanced through the plate glass window at the empty car park.

"Did you want a road map?" asked the shop assistant. "Or directions to the train?"

Aurora smiled.

"The underground," replied Aurora.

"Well," said the smiling shop assistant "it's above ground here… but by the time you get to central London, you'll be underground."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Lester placed his hands on the table and leaned forward.

"Did you just say," asked Lester "that you met Aurora in the tube station last year?"

"Yes," answered April. "She was working near here."

"What kind of work?" asked Danny.

"She's a scientist," replied April "biology… evolutionary… chemistry… something like that… does experiments with DNA."

"Where was she working?" asked Lester. "And what is her last name… we can trace her through her work records."

April looked surprised at the questions.

"Oh you won't be able to trace her," replied April. "She's from the future."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Easy there Connor," said Patrick. The teen looked at Connor in concern and grabbed him around the shoulders to steady him. "Should you be climbing the stairs by yourself?"

"Well I made it down okay," muttered Connor.

"Up is a different direction," teased Patrick. "Why don't we settle you in the living room?"

"I wanted to go upstairs," protested Connor.

"You're not even half way up," argued Patrick. "And if you're in the living room, you'll see Abby first thing when she gets home."

Connor glanced up the long flight of steep stairs. The few steps he'd climbed had just about worn him out.

"You really should be resting," added Patrick. "Abby will have my head if I let you fall down."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Aurora gazed through her reflection at the passing buildings. The train window showed a tall, pale woman with short blonde bristly hair. The rucksack she carried on her shoulder wriggled. The angular features of the woman softened into something that resembled a smile. She lifted the flap on the rucksack and reached a hand inside.

"Soon," Aurora whispered. "Soon."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Lester, Abby and Danny walked out of the interrogation room. Abby was shaking her head. The young security officer tried to look stern and alert as they passed him on their way to center of the ARC.

"I can't believe the woman was living down in those rooms," said Abby "spying on us… for who knows how long. What on earth does she want with Connor?"

"Stephen and I didn't see anything in those rooms beyond pet carry cages," added Danny. "Do you think… could you tell something more?"

"Dunno," replied Abby. "Haven't seen the rooms yet."

"Danny, take Abby to those rooms you and Stephen found," ordered Lester as they reached Jess's workstation. "See what you can find out about the creatures this Aurora person was raising down there."

Lester watched Abby and Danny head down the corridor towards the menagerie… and whatever lay beyond. He turned to find Jess gazing at him expectantly.

"Colonel Harper is back," said Jess. "He's in your office and wants to talk to you about military plans for the ARC."

Lester frowned in annoyance.

"Tell him he'll have to wait," said Lester. "Would you buzz the rest of the team… have them all meet me in Cutter's office."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Connor sighed in relief as he sat down on the sofa.

"Do you need me to bring me your pain medicine?" asked Patrick.

"No!" exclaimed Connor. "That stuff messes with me head… but there is something…"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Aurora climbed up the steps from the tube station. She put on her heavy sunglasses and shuddered.

"I can't believe people actually live like this," she muttered to herself.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Cutter looked up from his desk as Lester entered his office.

"I heard you've got the Leonard woman in custody," said the Scot. "What did you find out?"

"April Leonard is from this time period," answered Lester. "We have a birth certificate and iron clad..."

"I've got iron clad credentials," interrupted Matt as he walked in the room behind Lester, closely followed by Emily.

Lester turned towards Matt and Emily and leaned back, sitting on Cutters desk. He crossed his arms as he stared at the time crossed pair.

"Iron clad proof that she's from this time," continued Lester. "Miss Leonard lies about her age, she's really thirty-two, and the police have her fingerprints on file… she was arrested for shoplifting as a teenager."

"So she's not from the future?" asked Claudia from where she stood by the bookcase.

"I thought those two were supposed to be from Matt's time," said Cutter.

Lester shook his head as Stephen and Sarah crowded into the tiny office.

"The other woman is named Aurora," said Lester. "Aside from being a kidnapper and a thief, she's a member of the British Tarantula Society and, according to Miss Leonard, is from the future."

"The British Tarantula Society?" said Sarah. "Eww!"

"If she was sent from Matt's time," said Emily quietly "What is she trying to do… start… stop… or do something else with the anomalies and this… convergence."

"We really don't know if Aurora is from Matt's time or not," said Lester as he eyed Matt carefully. "Matt, when exactly is your time?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby followed Danny down the dank dark corridor. Danny pushed open a door. The light from the torches they carried illuminated the room.

"Aurora was living here?" asked Abby.

She wrinkled up her nose in disgust. Danny walked further into the room and shined his torch on an old counter.

"This is where Stephen and I found those pet carrier cages," said Danny.

Abby joined him at the counter and flickered the torchlight across its surface.

"The cages were too big for spiders," said Abby, "not even tarantulas would need that much space."

"Any ideas?" asked Danny.

Abby stopped moving the torch as it lit up the floor near the counter. She focused the light on some droppings.

"I'm a lizard girl," reminded Abby. "But based on what I see here, Aurora's other pets might be rodents of some sort."

"What kind of rodents?"

"Well, not mice… the pellets are too big," said Abby. "Maybe rats… or shrews… or chiroptera..."

"Chiroptera," asked Danny, "what's that?"

"Bats..."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Connor removed the casing from the device Cutter had brought over the other day. He gave a low whistle of amazement at the insides.

"This is the third anomaly opening device I've taken apart," muttered Connor as he shook his head. "And they're all different."

"Hey," Patrick called from the kitchen "I'm going to make some sandwiches. Do you want some lunch?"

Connor glanced at the time displayed on his cell phone.

"In a bit," said Connor. "I just need to make a phone call."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Becker's cell phone rang. His large hand reached out from beneath the covers towards the nightstand, finally finding the noisy gadget. The soldier listened and then rolled over to gaze at the empty space beside him.

"Yeah Connor," replied Becker. "I've still got that sword you brought back from the cretaceous. It's locked up in the gun cabinet."

He listened again, and then nodded.

"Right, the sword forged with magnetite from the dark ages," Becker rolled his eyes. "It's the only sword I've got in the flat. I'll drop it off on my way home from work."

The soldier traced the shape of the form imprinted on his sheets as Connor babbled on.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Aurora stared at the modest white stucco home. The rucksack over her shoulder wriggled again. The bony woman reached her long arm into the darkness of the bag and withdrew her hand quickly.

"Naughty, naughty," hissed Aurora. "You're not supposed to bite."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Matt crossed his arms too and gazed back at Lester.

"My time is through the race track anomaly," replied Matt quietly. "A place where the earth is ruined, the air is toxic… and those creatures… are everywhere."

"You would be the best one to judge if Aurora is from the same era," said Lester. "Matt would you take April and a security team to New Forest?"

"And what am I looking for?"

"Near where the destroyed Volkswagen was found," explained Lester "there's some sort of underground bunker."

Matt closed his eyes, remembering the underground shelters of his childhood.

"There may be an anomaly to Aurora's time there, if April's telling the truth," said Lester. He reached down and adjusted the cufflink on his suit.

"What about the rest of us?" asked Stephen.

Lester looked up, his gaze sharp.

"Contingency plans really," replied Lester. "Stephen, there's an abandoned power station near the M3 where the rollover occurred. Check it out, see what you can find."

The muscular young man nodded as Lester continued talking.

"Sarah, take additional security and go to the race track anomaly, we don't want her going back there," directed Lester. "Make sure it stays shut!"

"And what about us?" asked the Professor.

"I'd like you and Claudia to recheck that basement, the one where Becker found Connor," replied Lester. "See if there's any information that can help us find Aurora."

"I'm going back home," said Abby. She and Danny stood by the door frame. "In case she's still trying to find Connor."

Lester nodded.

"Did you find anything more in the tubes?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Connor looked up from the disassembled gadget in front of him. Someone was knocking on the front door. From the sound of the CD player coming from the kitchen, Connor doubted Patrick had heard the knock. He rose from the chair and walked slowly to the front of the house and opened the door.

"Connor Temple," asked the tall pale woman "why did you do it?"

"Do what?" asked Connor in turn. "What have I done?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Danny turned the SUV onto the tree lined road. The handheld anomaly detector sitting on the seat between he and Abby began to buzz.

"Jess," said Danny into the communication device. "Where's the anomaly?"

At the ARC, the young woman stared in horror at the images opening up on the video display in front of her.

"There's more than one," said Jess, "they're everywhere!"

Abby pointed straight down the road towards her home. The flickering gold, orange, and red of an anomaly opening could be seen near the two people standing at her front door. As she watched, the anomaly grew larger, enveloping first the two people, then the entire home.

"No!"

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	15. Convergence

Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.

A/N Part of the Claudia story verse (AU) Transitions, Transitions Too, Continuum, Trimming the Tree

5.6-1 Convergence

…"_they're everywhere"…_

-x-x-x-x-x-x

In the ARC, Lester and Colonel Harper joined Jess at her workstation. The two men stared over her shoulder at the display screens.

"It appears that our little secret is out," said Lester. He peered over Jess's shoulder at the video feed. "We have a pterosaur roosting on Big Ben."

A voice spoke from behind him.

"Oh that's not just any old pterosaur," corrected Cutter. "That's Quetzalcoatlus… cretaceous era… one of the largest flying animals the world has ever seen."

Lester turned and stared at the Scot. He stood with Claudia just beyond the Colonel.

"What are you two doing here?" huffed Lester. "I expressly sent you…"

Claudia crossed her arms and glared at Lester.

"On a fool's errand," she said. "Seriously? Recheck the basement where Connor was found? Becker wouldn't have missed anything in that place."

Lester huffed again and started to say something, but the Colonel spoke first.

"Don't you people understand anything about strategy?" the military man asked. "You never keep all your key personnel together… in times of danger."

The standoff between Cutter and Claudia against the combined bureaucratic stubbornness of Lester and the Colonel might have gone on for longer, except for the plaintive question of a nervous voice.

"In horror movies people always get killed when they're separated from the team," said Duncan. "Why aren't we sticking together?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

On the motorway to New Forest, Matt and Emily listened worriedly to the voices on the comm. In the back seat of the SUV, April twisted her head to the left and then to the right… trying to see past the security officers seated beside her.

"Jess, I'm already on the M3… nearly to Camberley," called Matt. "Should we come back to London?"

Jess looked from one view screen to another. Lester leaned in to the speaker.

"No," ordered Lester. "Find out where Aurora is from and what's in that bunker."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

On another motorway, Stephen slammed on the brakes. The SUV he was driving came to a shuddering halt mere inches from the snarling gorgonopsid. He shifted into reverse and floored the accelerator. The soldier beside him raised his weapon and leaned out the side window.

"Jess, I'm just past Heathrow… there's an anomaly on the motorway" called Stephen. "We might need another route to the power plant."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

At the racetrack, Sarah, Private Sharma and the new recruit watched the glowing ball of light pulsing in front of them.

"Is it supposed to do that?" asked Private Sharma.

Sarah tossed her long dark hair over her shoulders and sat down between the two anomaly locking devices. Sarah tried to look more confident than she felt. She pointed to the machine on the right.

"This is the standard anomaly locking device," said Sarah. Then pointing to the other, she added "This one is the reverse engineered device. If that anomaly opens, one of these machines will lock it."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

On the quiet tree lined street, Danny stopped the SUV right in the middle of the road. He stared at the sight before him. It wasn't until Abby climbed out of the vehicle and started running towards the anomaly, that Danny moved too. His long legs caught up to the petite blonde before she reached the shimmering edge.

"No Abby," said Danny.

"Let go of me!" cried Abby. "Connor's in there!"

"And my baby brother," reminded Danny. "When we go in… we go together… but first… we get back up."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"This isn't a horror movie," replied Lester. "Think of it more as… I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket."

Duncan looked even more confused.

"I keep my eggs in the refrigerator."

Jess was scrambling from one monitor to another, typing in commands, speaking crisply to the voices on the comm device demanding her assistance.

Danny's voice crackled over Jess's comm. device. If possible, her eyes grew even wider in alarm.

"An anomaly surrounding Abby and Connor's home!" Jess exclaimed. "Yes, I'll send backup."

The cell phone on her workstation started a familiar ring tone. Jess grabbed it.

"Hil," said Jess "anomalies are opening…"

"Everywhere," finished Becker. "I'm on my way to the ARC… be there as quick as I can, but my comm. device is fried."

Becker looked ruefully at the black sword lying on the kitchen counter next to his comm. device. He remembered Connor saying the sword couldn't be around computers, but he didn't realize the magnetite forged into the sword would also play havoc with his comm. device.

"No," replied Jess. "You're closer to Abby and Connor's home… go there."

"What?"

"An anomaly has engulfed the entire home," answered Jess "with Connor and Patrick in it!"

She set the cell phone down and turned to the pudgy man beside her.

"Duncan," Jess said "would you give me a hand please."

Claudia stepped forward.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Claudia asked.

"Get on the phone and start calling all the off duty teams and anyone else you can think of," ordered Jess. "We need all the help we can get."

Cutter gazed at Lester. The Professor ignored Colonel Harper entirely.

"Connor is one of the key personnel in the ARC too," reminded Cutter. "I'm going to Connor and Abby's place."

"Of course Connor is important!" called Lester as Cutter's figure retreated down the corridor. "Go on now…"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Matt glanced in the rear view mirror. The small blonde sitting in the middle of the back seat was fidgeting.

"April," asked Matt "where exactly in New Forest is this place of Aurora's?"

"It's before you enter the forest," corrected April. "When you get to the roundabout, don't go straight… take Romsey Road towards High Wood Copse."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Seriously?" asked Stephen in disbelief. Beside him the soldier groaned.

"Another?" asked the soldier. "That thing is huge!"

In the seat behind the two men, the other soldiers started reaching for their weapons.

"I don't know if we have enough ammunition for that thing," said the private nervously. "What is it?"

"It's a T-Rex," said Stephen. He pressed the comm. device. "Jess… we took care of the Permian anomaly and the gorgonopsid, but now we see a T-Rex. How many anomalies are open around here?"

"They're opening everywhere," said Jess. "And as soon as one shuts… another opens."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

At the racetrack warehouse, Sarah and the others watched the anomaly pulse.

"Have you locked the doors?" asked Sarah.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Connor woke up with his face in gravel and dirt. He groaned as he spit the dirt and dust from his mouth.

"About time you woke up," hissed Aurora.

She sat on the rocks beside him. Her long bony arms wrapped around her knees. The open rucksack beside her had a black and chrome device protruding from the bag. Further, in the dark depths of the bag, a pair of close set eyes glowed.

"Who are you?" asked Connor. "What do you want with me?"

"My name is not important."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby elbowed Danny in the ribs. She ran.

"Abby!" called Danny as he gasped for air. He shook his head, and started after her.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

In the ARC, Jess was directing staff to where they were most urgently needed. Duncan was on a computer commandeering equipment and Claudia was on the phone calling for reinforcements.

"Oh no," gasped Jess.

"What is it?" asked Lester in concern.

"There is an anomaly open in the menagerie," replied Jess "near the smilodon cage."

"I'll go check it out," said Lester.

As he turned to leave, the director almost bumped into Colonel Harper. The man was still staring at the image displayed on Jess's topmost monitor screen, Quetzalcoatlus atop Big Ben.

"How much do you suppose that thing weighs?" asked the Colonel.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Matt and Emily followed April on the muddy path through the shadows of the trees. The security officers brought up the rear. When the little group came to a shadowed recess underneath an outcrop of rocks, April pointed down.

"We have to go single file down there," said April "but be careful… the steps are slippery."

Matt gaped at the vats and tubes lining the tables of this underground lab.

"What on earth was Aurora making?" Matt asked. "Biological weapons?"

April started to answer, but a small anomaly flickered open at the end of the corridor. It was April's chance. She sprinted down the corridor and dove through the anomaly. Matt started to run after her, but Emily grabbed his arm.

"Wait!" exclaimed his wife. "The gateway is flickering."

A moment later and April's anomaly was gone.

"What are we going to do with this?" asked the security officer.

"Personally," replied Matt "I think we should burn it all."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Stephen ordered the security team out of the SUV.

"I'm going to ram it," he declared. "Then… you shoot it with everything you've got."

"Do you really think ramming a T-Rex is going to work?" asked the sergeant.

"Dunno," replied Stephen, "but Connor knocked a G-Rex off its feet with a baggage cart… so it's worth a try."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Sarah pushed the button on the locking device two seconds after the anomaly opened, but one huge insect flew through before the anomaly closed. Private Sharma shot the disgusting huge bug. It splattered across the concrete floor in a gooey mess.

"Was it waiting by the anomaly?" asked Private Sharma.

"Hope not," replied Sarah. They watched the anomaly as it continued to pulse.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

The pale, bony faced woman frowned as she reached for the device in her rucksack. Connor pushed himself up off the rocks into an upright position.

"You made this anomaly opening device," the angry woman accused. "People get lost in time… the world changed… horribly… you had no right!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" replied Connor. "I haven't made an anomaly opening device."

The brown haired scientist held up his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"I made an anomaly detector, an anomaly locking device, a remote control anomaly reconnaissance device," continued Connor "a dating calculator and worked with Jess to finish the anomaly map… we combined that with a version of the dating calc…"

"Shut up!" exclaimed the woman. She threw the device at him. "Those are your initials… right… C A T?!"

Connor picked up the slender device. He turned it over in his hands and inspected it.

"I've never seen this thing before in my life," answered Connor. "I didn't make it."

Gravel crunched as a petite blonde ran towards Connor and the long limbed bony woman facing him.

"Get away from him!" shouted Abby.

The kick Abby launched at the woman's shoulder would have knocked most people sideways. But the woman's fast response had her bony hand gripped around Abby's ankle instead.

"Sit down," ordered the woman.

Then she pulled Abby's ankle. Abby landed with a thump on her bum next to Connor. The woman pulled another smaller device from the rucksack.

"You might not have made that anomaly opening device… yet," snarled the woman, "but you had this prototype design on your laptop. What does it do?"

She rose to stand and held the gadget up in front of the pair.

"That's not what you're thinking… some of the stuff on my laptop was personal," said Connor nervously, "It's a work in progress… I wouldn't turn it on if I were you."

"Really?" asked the woman.

Her angular features turned up in an odd grimace. She pressed the device. A light shot out, centering on the ground before Abby and Connor. The light expanded to a circular image about three feet in diameter. The hologram showed a familiar little blue and white robotic image.

"Abby," the hologram image spoke, "you're my only hope. Please marry me."

Gravel crunched behind the woman as Danny approached. He grabbed the woman with his long arms, trying to restrain her. She dropped the device, and it flickered to a close. The rucksack emitted a low snarl. A thing… of teeth and claws… launched itself at Danny.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Today, it took over an hour for Cutter to drive from the ARC to Connor and Abby's home. The streets were crowded with creatures… and combatants. To defend their homeland, the brave people of London had taken to the streets… armed with whatever they could find. They fought the invasions from time.

The dead kaprosuchus Cutter found at the entrance to the car park was the first sign of the battle. Another mile away, the professor passed a combined group of London residents and Roman legionnaires fighting a pack of hyenadons. The garbage trucks corralling a stegasaurus in the middle of the street three miles further on caused Cutter to back up and try a different route. Cutter finally left the SUV where the street met the edge of the park. He started walking the last two blocks towards Abby and Connor's home. Cutter met Becker at the intersection of the next street.

"Good day for a walk," greeted the Scot.

"Traffic is murder," replied Becker "and the tube is worse."

The professor looked at the soldier. Becker had a pistol strapped to his waist along with a belt of hand grenades. Two of the grenades were missing. He had a standard issue L22A2 slung over one shoulder and was carrying a black sword. They soon reached the SUV Danny and Abby had abandoned. The shining red, gold and orange anomaly glistened in the air before them.

"It looks like Danny and Abby didn't wait for us," said Becker.

"They never do," replied Cutter. "Let's go find them… and bring them all home."

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	16. Time, Precious Time

Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.

A/N Part of the Claudia story verse (AU) Transitions, Transitions Too, Continuum, Trimming the Tree

5.6-2 Time, Precious Time

…"_bring them all home__"…_

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Cutter started to enter the anomaly, but Becker grabbed his arm.

"Would you like a weapon?" asked the chief of security.

"Do you have enough for both of us?" asked the Scot with a chuckle. "You seem to be short a couple of grenades."

"The tube had some sort of slithering serpent," answered the soldier. "I got rid of it."

"Probably a good thing," replied Cutter. The Professor eyed the weaponry Becker carried. "What would you suggest?"

Becker held the sword out to the Professor. Cutter tried to take the heavy blade, but couldn't hold it upright.

"I'm better with a pen anyway," said Cutter.

Becker shook his head and exchanged the sword for the L22A2.

"You can carry this," said the soldier, "but don't try to shoot it… remember you're back up."

Becker stepped through the anomaly, closely followed by Cutter. They found themselves on rocky uneven terrain beneath a golden sky surrounded by glittering anomalies.

"Another anomaly junction," breathed the Professor.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby's scream pierced the air.

"No!"

Becker and Cutter turned toward the sound. In the distance, they could see the tall red headed figure of Danny struggling with something small, black and very quick. The snarls emanating from that creature gave Cutter goose bumps.

"Oh my God," exclaimed the Professor.

The tall woman they'd only seen in photo images stood nearby. Just beyond her, Abby and Connor sat on the ground. Becker didn't waste time for words. The soldier ran forward across the barren ground sword in hand.

"Wait for me," called Cutter.

Becker slowed as he reached Danny. The former copper now held the creature at arms length. Danny's face was scratched and bleeding, but he didn't seem too seriously injured.

"Let go of him," screeched the pale woman. She clasped either side of her forehead with her bony hands and gritted her teeth.

The thing facing Danny twisted and turned. It launched itself across the air towards Becker. Instinctively, the soldier raised the sword he had carried across London and through the anomaly portal. The bundle of claws and teeth impaled itself on the black sword. The blade protruded from its back. For a moment, red eyes glared at Becker. Bony arms and legs, ending in sharp talons, stayed raised in midair as if ready to tear the soldier apart. Then the light faded from the angry red eyes. The arms and legs drooped.

"No!" howled the woman. She stepped forward, arms outstretched… fingers spread like talons… reaching for the creature… or Becker… or both.

The rock that hit her between her shoulder blades was heavy enough to stagger the crazed woman. She stepped sideways, missing the sword by mere inches as she tried to retrieve her balance. The second rock missed her and landed on the ground between her and Becker.

"Patrick," breathed Danny.

The teen stood on a rocky outcropping above them, poised to throw another rock. A soaring green bombardier dropped sticks upon the woman. The woman brushed the sticks from her short blonde hair and bent to retrieve some rocks. She lobbed a rock off in the direction of the coelurosauravus.

"Rex," cried Abby in alarm. The lizard soared off unharmed, while Patrick threw another rock.

The woman snarled in rage. She glanced to the left… and then to the right.

"Ma'am," said Danny "you need to come with us now."

"No!" objected the woman. "This isn't over… things can change… and I'm going to make sure they do."

Danny and Becker both dove towards the woman as she launched herself through the nearest anomaly portal and disappeared. The two men started to give chase, but Cutter shouted.

"No, leave her," called the Professor. He gestured towards the pulsating anomalies. "We need to get home."

Danny, Becker, Connor and Abby looked around. Rex soared down from the sky to land in Abby's outstretched arms.

"Yeah," agreed Abby. "We should hurry."

"Which way is home?" asked Connor.

From the rocky outcrop above them, Patrick pointed to a nearby anomaly.

"The kitchen is this way," called the teen.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

The tiny kitchen was crowded as Patrick led the group out of the barren rocky land. Abby carried Rex, while Cutter and Danny helped Connor. Becker brought up the rear, waiting until the others were through before he followed. As he stepped through the anomaly onto the black and white tiled kitchen floor, the anomaly pulsed… and closed.

"Eww," said Abby. She looked at the creature he'd stuffed in the rucksack and the dripping goo coming from the sword. "Why did you bring that?"

"Thought it might give us some information," answered Becker "as to who she was… and what she wanted."

Patrick stared at the soldier in amazement.

"You don't know who she is?" asked Patrick.

"Her name is Aurora," said Cutter as Becker shook his head. "That's about all we know for sure."

Patrick turned to his big brother.

"Do you remember when I told you I saw three different Helen's?" asked Patrick.

Danny nodded.

"They were talking to that woman," said Patrick. "She's the reason I thought two of them might be clones."

"What?"

"Aurora's a scientist of sorts," said Patrick. "From some place where everyone lives underground… I think… maybe… she's related to Helen."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

In the ARC, Lester approached the smilodon cage cautiously. Lucy was prowling around the small glittering anomaly. A low rumbling growl came from the creature's throat.

"Jess," called Lester "have you seen any signs of an incursion?"

"No," replied the young field coordinator from her station upstairs. "And I feel sorry for anything that does try to come through that anomaly."

Jess glanced at the video array before her.

"The anomalies... they're closing!" exclaimed Jess.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Matt and Emily stood at the base of the stairs in the underground bunker. The security team was already up in the forest standing guard.

"Go on up," urged Matt. "I'll be right behind you."

Emily looked at her husband curiously.

What are you going to do Matt?" asked Emily.

He raised his weapon, pointed it at the electrical breaker box, and fired. Sparks shot up, followed quickly by flames.

"Making sure no one ever has to go back," answered Matt "to this awful place."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Stephen blinked his eyes and groaned.

"Easy mate," chuckled the sergeant.

"What happened?" moaned Stephen as he reached both hands to his forehead trying to hold his spinning head still.

"You had an argument with a T-Rex," reminded the soldier.

"Who won?"

"Well you did of course," chuckled the soldier.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Sarah and Private Sharma watched as the anomaly pulsed and opened. Sarah pressed the button on the first anomaly closing device… nothing happened. Sarah reached to the reverse engineered anomaly closing device and pressed the button… nothing happened. The anomaly pulsed.

"Oh no," whispered Private Sharma, "something's coming through."

A bright black and yellow butterfly floated through the anomaly. The creature fluttered around in a small circle and then returned through the anomaly.

"Now that's my kind of anomaly," said Private Sharma with a smile.

"Dunno," replied Sarah. "Might be killer butterflies for all we know."

The glittering shimmering object pulsed once more and then blinked out of sight.

"That's my kind of anomaly," added Sarah. "I like them closed."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Saturday, Abby got Connor to go to yoga class with her.

"Dr. MacAllister said you needed gentle stretching exercises," reminded Abby, "and you shouldn't try anything that hurts."

"I'll be the only bloke there," grumbled Connor.

"Oh no you won't be," replied Abby. "Duncan promised to come too."

The pudgy man helped Abby get Connor situated in the mini. When she parked the small car, Abby went inside the yoga studio, leaving Connor and Duncan to follow.

"Abby!" greeted her friend Edie. "I'm so glad to see you back again… we've missed you."

In the two weeks since the Christmas Eve party, Abby hadn't had an opportunity to see Edie. The petite blonde stared at her friend in surprise.

"You cut your hair!" exclaimed Abby. "And colored the rest of it too!"

The tall woman ran a hand through her short purple spiked hairstyle.

"Actually," confided Edie "that idiot I was dating, cut the one purple strand I had at the base of my neck… said he liked the long dark brown, but wasn't having any purple."

"He cut your hair!?"

"When I was asleep," responded Edie.

"I can't believe…" began Abby.

"He's history," replied Edie. "I threw him and his mess out, got the locks changed and cut all my hair short… dyed it all purple."

Connor and Duncan entered the yoga studio in time to the last bit of her tirade.

"Your hair is beautiful," said Duncan. "Purple is my favorite color."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Lester's Monday morning started with the usual updates on facility changes at the ARC.

"Ahem, Colonel Harper's recommendations have been approved," began Lester. "We will be relocating to the new building at the end of February."

"My commuting time will double," protested Sarah.

"The carpooling policy is still in effect," reminded Lester. He looked at the papers on the table before him. "Oh and we do have one other bit of news from the Colonel…"

"Oh please tell me he's found a refuge for the Quetzalcoatlus," said Abby.

"Please tell me he's quit blaming us for the tilt in Big Ben," added Claudia.

"Neither one yet unfortunately," replied Lester. "But congratulations are in order… for Major Becker."

There were happy exclamations and Danny thumped the soldier on his back.

"Don't let it go to your head now," added Lester. He looked around the table and settled his gaze on Abby. "Do we have any personnel updates?

"Dr. MacAllister said if Connor keeps improving at the rate he's going," said Abby "Connor can return to work in the middle of February."

Lester turned to Danny.

"And what about Stephen?"

"If medical leave for the concussion doesn't drive him crazy," replied Danny, "Stephen should be back in two weeks."

"Good," replied Lester. "Just one more thing… the preliminary DNA analysis came back on that creature…"

"Is it the same as the future predator?" asked Cutter.

"Similar," replied Lester. He looked down at the paper in front of him. "Rat, bat… and human."

"Ohh!" groaned Sarah.

"Oh that's messed up," said Danny.

"Eww!"

"What about the reports on the remains in the smilodon cage?" asked Cutter. "Did we get that back yet?"

"That appears to be a lost cause," said Lester as he shook his head. "Not really enough to make a positive identification."

"But you took a DNA sample from Helen's Aunt," protested Cutter. "Surely you could find out… something."

"Nick," whispered Claudia. She reached her hand out to steady her husband.

"The remains just can't be Helen," said Cutter.

"Of course not," soothed Lester. He looked around the assembled group. "Does anyone really believe Philip Burton just vanished into thin air?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Saturday night some weeks later, Abby watched Connor out of the corner of her eye. She really wasn't interested in watching the segment of the Doctor Who episode he was finally watching. He seemed better. Connor had resumed almost all of his normal activities... just a couple more.

"So are you ready for work on Monday?" asked Abby.

"Oh yeah," answered Connor. His eyes were glued on the Ood… singing … _this song is ending, but the story never ends._

The video ended. Abby climbed up on the bed beside Connor. She crossed her denim clad legs and leaned forward. Abby put her finger on the laptop mouse pad and pointed it at the work in progress folder. She clicked open. The hologram image appeared on the monitor.

"It's time we talked about this," said Abby as the little robot began his plea.

Connor's big brown eyes gazed at her. He gulped.

"You w..w..weren't supposed to see that," stammered Connor. "It's a work in progress really…"

"How long has that been a work in progress?" asked Abby.

If anything, Connor's eyes grew bigger.

"Awhile," admitted Connor.

Abby continued to stare at Connor.

"It was just something that Sarah said," continued Connor, "when she first came to the ARC."

"Sarah told you to make an R2D2 hologram proposal?" asked Abby.

"No, not exactly," replied Connor. "She told me to talk to you… tell you how I feel."

"And you feel like getting married," asked Abby, "not just having a hand fasting?"

"Abby, I feel like I've been waiting all my life to meet you," said Connor, "and… I want you in my life… for all time…"

"Well, in that case," said Abby with a smile, "I accept."

"Really?" asked Connor with soft shy smile.

He laid his hand across her ankle, on Abby's soft black leather boots. He traced his hand down the instep of her boot and over the rounded toes. Abby leaned closer.

"Really," said Abby. She placed her lips against his and felt the warmth of his response. She was breathless when they parted. Connor's eyes glowed, matching the glow in her eyes.

"In that case," asked Connor as he lowered the zipper on her boot, "can we start the honeymoon now?"

Abby nodded eagerly.

"Do you have a foot fetish Connor?" teased Abby as he pulled the first boot off. "I never knew you liked my boots so well."

"It's not the boots Abby," said Connor "it's the woman who wears the boots…"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

A/N… to those of you who have provided reviews, constructive criticism, and support, thank you.


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